"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians, they are so unlike your Christ."~Gandhi
We have been doing a series on major world religions in Church the last several weeks. Today we talked about Islam which is perhaps the thorniest of the world religions, at least in the current climate. The thing that has really stuck with me today was a story that our pastor relayed. He told us about a time when he was a youth pastor and he brought an Islamic man to talk to the youth about his faith. The man asked them what they see when he says that he is a Muslim. Nobody wanted to answer and finally one of the youth raised his hand and said that he sees a man with something wrapped around his head carrying an automatic weapon. I honestly believe that most people, especially here in America, have the same image.
My husband and I have been discussing this subject most of the afternoon and we both agree...this is not our image of Islam. For us, we see a people who are devout. We see people going about their daily lives: shopping, raising children, having conversations, praying. Mostly, we simply see people. What struck both of us though is when asked what we see when we think of Christians. Although both of us claim Christianity and we know many wonderful Christian people, that is not the image that we see. We see people like the Westboro Baptists, we see Jerry Falwell, we see white supremacists. We can easily see the hate, the fear, the hypocrisy of people who claim to follow Christ. And we can understand the view of Christianity that Gandhi had. And we can also understand that those groups and those people are a small minority that do not speak for all of us. And we can extend that grace and understanding to the people of Islamic faith. We accept that a small, violent, extreme faction does not represent the whole faith.
Do I agree with everything Islam preaches? No. But I recognize our common root, I recognize a common truth, just as I do with anyone who earnestly seeks to know God. For me, what is important is not how the belief is exercised or to whom an individual prays. What matters is that they seek truth, that they seek God, that they live out lives of love and peace and compassion. However God reveals Himself (Herself? Itself?) to that person is not important to me.
And what really is important, because it is part of my faith as a Christian, is that I follow the direction given to me by Jesus in Luke 10:27: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" I see no condition there that my neighbor must share my beliefs, or that my neighbor should look like me. All people, everywhere, are my neighbors, and sometimes I am not going to like what they do. But I have to remember the grace and forgiveness that was given me and extend that same grace and forgiveness to all people, everywhere. That is how I can love my neighbor and how I can best show God's love to them.
I fail sometimes. I am quick to judge. I am angry. I am unforgiving. I am ungracious and unloving. But I will always strive to recognize my mistakes and be again the example of God's love in the world. We all fall short of the glory of God. But through grace we are saved and redeemed, and again we go into the world to serve and to love. If we focus on the service, and on service born of love, we will be a more powerful voice and example of the love and grace of Jesus Christ in the world. It is an ongoing goal, and place for growth, and challenge. Because I often fail. I fall short everyday. But I will try. I will speak up in love. I will defend my neighbor. I will provide a hand up. I will try.
My sincere hope and prayer is that all those who claim the Christian faith will do the same.
