By Our Love

Imam Hassan Selim

April was an interesting month in Mount Pleasant. As a part of the Henry County Ministerial Association, I helped to bring to our community a class for the public trying to learn more about the religion of Islam. This was a challenge. If you joined us for the class, you saw that we all came with different ideas about Islam and even Christianity. We had folks from all different churches in the community, as well as some of other faiths like Judaism and Islam.  The purpose of this class was to help people to learn more about the religion of Islam so that we can better love Muslims we may meet.

It became clear to me during our classes that this was going to be a challenge. There is much that we think we know about other people that can be based on questionable information. Right now, this is especially pertinent as we see the problems in the world caused by groups like ISIS, the Taliban, and Al Qaida; all claiming to do terrible things under the teachings of Islam.

While our class, and especially our visit from an Imam from Cedar Rapids, taught us that these radical groups are inconsistent with the teachings of Islam; what I noticed more than anything is that we Christians can often display a witness that is inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus too.

As I’d look around the classes and hear the questions and comments from Christians in the group, I was saddened at the lack of interest in loving this group of people that we don’t know or understand. For many, the desire to be right and to throw our “rightness” in the face of others trumps any act of love or hospitality. And it is this attitude that I see more and more among American Christianity. Where Jesus always seemed to choose radical hospitality and love towards all the people He encountered, we American believers instead figuratively - and sometimes literally - throw our Bibles at those who disagree with us. And we’re not afraid to loft our challenges at anyone; whether they be Christians with different understandings of theology than us, Muslims, atheists, or anyone else that might challenge our “rightness.”

So can we just stop this?

Of course I believe with all my heart, mind, and strength that God created us, loves us, and sent Jesus to redeem us of our sins. And I fully believe that apart from Him, we cannot experience real life or know the Father. And I believe that there is a reality that if we deny Jesus in this life, He will respect our decision and allow us to continue our separation from Him in the next.

But it sure seems like He was a lot less insecure about all of that than we are. While He taught people about His kingdom, He spent most of His time trying to teach us how to love. Go back and read Matthew 5 and 6 if you don’t remember. Most of the Sermon on the Mount is there challenging our religiosity and pushing us to live out His love on this earth. He was so radical that He told us to love and pray for not only our neighbors, but even our enemies.

Our Interim General Secretary of the ABC/USA met with pastors at a conference a couple of weeks ago and she shared her sorrow at hearing the old song, “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love”. And she feels sorrow because right now, it’s just often not true.

Maybe it’s time we work hard at loving people better. And I don’t mean having positive feelings toward them; but loving others radically and sacrificially. Like Jesus.

Update:
Here's a great example of this struggle. A letter to the editor of our local paper by someone who didn't attend the classes.