Burning Bridges

Hola,

This blog isn't so much inspired by a current event as much as it is me reflecting on one of the more important lessons I have learned in college.

I recently was sitting in on a discussion about the mosque in NY and how that is raising so much controversy and whatnot. The discussion was rather dull until someone tried to attack Muslims in general. Accusing them of takeovers and all having bombs strapped to their chest.

This is the sort of stuff that breaks my heart.

(stay with me for this rant in the next two paragraphs)

I think it is so easy to point the finger and forget to look in the mirror. We understand our view as right, therefore when we are examining another view, whether that be another religion, politics, favorite food, etc, we refuse to examine our own views in beliefs because it is almost assumed in our minds that's its right. For instance, I believe that many people few Muslims as terrorist that are after and hate America. This is true with some Muslims, a small minority of them. I think when we take that statement and step back, we begin to see the real picture and what's really going on, and through that, we can come to respect and understand, and not fear, Muslims.

Terrorism makes news, so we are going to see lots of news about radical Islamic terrorist, and not many about the other 3 billion that aren't doing these things. These few Muslims kill anyone who disagrees, they have attacked other Muslims (during Ramadan no less, which could lead you to argue that they don't really follow Islam at all), not just Americans. I believe saying all Muslims are like that is the equivalent to all Christians being like the Klu Klux Klan. Of course this outrages us, as it should, because they represent such a small, non-biblical, voice in the Christian world.

I say all this just to say that we step on to many toes. When we step back and see people for who they are, we can love as Christ did. Instead of harping on the differences between Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, Calvinist, Lutheran, whatever it maybe. How about focus on the fact that we all want to follow Jesus. We both want to love others and pray to God that loves us?

This applies to everyday life: Someone gets angry at you and insults you. The normal response is to be angry back or to retaliate or hold a grudge. Yet if we can pull back and see times when we were justifiably or unjustifiably angry at someone. Say you have a friend whose boyfriend cheats on her. She has every right to be angry, yet if she can pull back and see when she cheated on him, (Jesus said that to look at another lustfully is the same as adultery, it's just not in the publics eye, but worse, in our heart) and to forgive. This is no easy task and I will be the first to admit that I fail many times at doing this. But that is the kingdom of Heaven, and whether we understand it or not, usually every sunday we pray that "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven". We are called to live out God's kingdom on earth.

This is how we are different, how we stand out, how we become salt and light. We love like people have never seen. We do this because we have seen this love in our Maker and live to imitate this to people who haven't seen it. It is not easy but from my experiences, it is incredibly rewarding both in my heart and in the relationships that have been mended.

My 2 cents:

Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson (book)

Vivre dans l'amour et la paix,

drew

Il n'y a qu'un bonheur dans la vie, c'est d'aimer et d'être aimé.