Fanatics of Faith!

I had an interesting visit last night with a Muslim family who live near us.. Today I kept thinking about some things that the husband shared with me as we talked. Maybe some time I will add to this how I knew this family, as I did earlier when I first wrote this blog, but for now I will get to the heart of the matter.

The man shared how unfortunate it is that so many view all Muslims in light of 9-11.  He shared how the men that did those things got their punishment and will be punished, implying punishment from God. However, many have preconceived ideas about he and his wife in particular because of the events from that day. People tend to view them though eyes of fear or hate without really even knowing them. People hear the word jihad and take it out of context. Jihad has three meanings, the greater of which is "the struggle by a believer to fulfill his religious duties." For him, "Going to work is a jihad. Taking care of my family is a jihad." Muslims get called "Fanatics."

However, "Christians can be Fanatics too," he said. Christians do not want to listen to them or talk to them out of that fear or hate or both.  On a related humorous note, he pointed out that his wife's head being covered should not be an issue, since the Virgin Mary is often portrayed with her head covered.

It grieved me to hear this man talk about these things.  I wondered how open he would be to hear the Good News if more Christians were loving as Jesus loved. It seems to me that Christians often fall into one pit or another. Either we want to love everyone but never get around to sharing the Truth, or we want to beat people over the head with the Bible but do not love them.

Jesus was truly a master of doing both. Jesus called to Zaccheus to eat with him and yet obviously spoke Truth in such a way that Zaccheus was going to make things right with those from whom he stole. Jesus showed compassion to the woman caught in adultery when others wanted to stone her, and yet he told her to go and sin no more.  Jesus loved fanatically!

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that we are clanging cymbals if we do all these things and yet do not have love.  Lord, forgive me for the times I have been a clanging cymbal. Lord, forgive me for being a stumbling block to those who needed you by my refusal to extend a hand to them or to eat with them. Lord, help me to Love fanatically!

As a side note, I found it amusing that the day after this conversation with this man, Facebook and the media are filled with passionate arguments from both sides of the same sex marriage rights act versus traditional marriage and the Starbucks ban. Does arguing and saying nasty things about one another really make our point? Wouldn't we get a lot farther if we actually discussed things like normal human beings over a cup of tea?