Our relationships with Muslims, reveals this struggle for the soul. We have to ask ourselves what is the priority of our faith? Is our faith primarily a tribal identity or is costly discipleship to Jesus. If it is about tribal identity, then we have to be about the business of defending our Christian civilization against a Muslim civilization. It’s our Christian society and God against their Allah and their culture. BUT if it is about costly discipleship, then doesn’t Jesus give us the example of laying down our lives in love for Muslims so that they might come to see and know the good news of salvation.
Each day as I get inundated with forwarded emails by well meaning Christians, that are alarmist in nature, warning of the encroaching Muslims, it frustrates me that these messages create a phobia which can only lead to hate when we should be about the business of thinking and working on how to love them and share the good news with them, not simply how to stop them.
An example of this was some public correspondence between two Christian Mission Leaders several years ago, who we will call Will and David. After David had written negatively about Muslims, Will wrote:
David, you were able to minister well with tribal's because you lived among them and loved them. I wonder how many Muslims you know well and really love and how many your approach has attracted to Christ. I hope that on that Final Day we can stand together with the Muslims that we and those we have influenced have led to the Throne.
David, you were able to minister well with tribal's because you lived among them and loved them. I wonder how many Muslims you know well and really love and how many your approach has attracted to Christ. I hope that on that Final Day we can stand together with the Muslims that we and those we have influenced have led to the Throne.
Will responded:
Here is how I illustrate our differences: Imagine that an avalanche has buried hikers in the High Sierras. Mr. Christian Church, a trainer of St. Bernard rescue dogs, orders two trainees—David and Will—to search for and rescue as many lost hikers as possible. David and Will charge off, sniffing the snow for a scent of buried hikers. But Will catches a different scent—mountain lion! David looks back and sees a large cougar stalking Mr. Church! Will is suddenly one very conflicted rescue dog. He still wants to rescue hikers, but decides his priority must be to defend Mr. Church…David prioritizes lost hikers.
Here is how I illustrate our differences: Imagine that an avalanche has buried hikers in the High Sierras. Mr. Christian Church, a trainer of St. Bernard rescue dogs, orders two trainees—David and Will—to search for and rescue as many lost hikers as possible. David and Will charge off, sniffing the snow for a scent of buried hikers. But Will catches a different scent—mountain lion! David looks back and sees a large cougar stalking Mr. Church! Will is suddenly one very conflicted rescue dog. He still wants to rescue hikers, but decides his priority must be to defend Mr. Church…David prioritizes lost hikers.
As followers of Jesus, who is himself is Peace, what does he say?
If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. (Mt 18:12-13)
If anyone wants to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever would save their life will lose it; and whoever loses their life for my sake and the Gospel’s will save it. (Mk 8:34-35)
If anyone wants to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever would save their life will lose it; and whoever loses their life for my sake and the Gospel’s will save it. (Mk 8:34-35)
Should we be concerned about protecting our society against Muslim encroachment or should we be more concerned that 1.3 billion Muslims don’t know that Jesus loves them and have never talked to a Christian who has told or demonstrated that?
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