Influence

 the shape of leadership

Why I Love My Muslim Neighbors

A missionary shares how she has found family—not fear— while living in a predominantly Muslim population

Ann Marie on February 1, 2017

Did you just call my ‘family’ terrorists?” 

This thought crossed my mind when we last returned from the mission field, as some church members walked out of services and berated my family, including my children, for loving “terrorists.” I thought of the gentle people I knew overseas—Muslims who, for nearly a decade, had protected my family as their own. My eyes filled with tears when I realized they were being lumped in with Islamic extremists.

Yet, I remember when my own opinions were negatively affected by my limited exposure to Muslims. My family was first appointed as missionaries to Muslims in October 2001, one month after 9/11. I went to the field thinking I was going to “love my enemies” (Matt. 5:44). As I wandered the streets of a war-torn country, I looked at the broken sidewalks and bullet-riddled buildings. My senses were overwhelmed by the sights and sounds around me. I thought, “How am I ever going to reach them?” 

As I stood there, looking totally confused and out of place, a covered woman approached me and said, “Hi, welcome to my country. Would you come to my house for tea?” The sincerity of the invitation and the gentleness in her eyes changed my perspective in a moment. This woman was not my enemy. She was a child of God, even if she did not know His Son.

I am a missionary to a Muslim community, yet they were the ones who first taught me how to reach out. I tend to overthink, and it becomes a hindrance for me, but I am learning to keep it simple: Love is love. As a Christian, great love has been modeled for me, and it transcends languages, borders and beliefs. 

In my corner of Central Eurasia, I am privileged to be accepted as family by my Muslim neighbors. They have taught me a great deal about community living. It requires sharing your life with those around you. It requires a sacrifice of time and self. It provides protection, a place to belong, where everyone’s abilities are utilized and respected. It can be messy, just like most families. Living closely means that you see the good and the bad. There is conflict, and therefore you are forced to learn conflict resolution—but there is also acceptance. There is a bond of love that comes with going through life together. 

My mornings start around the stairwell with the other women, and the days are punctuated by tea breaks, discussions of our daily tasks or shared meals. Amidst the ebb and flow of the duties of life, we find laughter and tears, joys and sorrows, which we carry together. 

As a Christian, great love has been modeled for me, and it transcends languages, borders and beliefs. 

My place in this community has been shaped by my personality. I am an introvert and love being in the kitchen cooking, serving and cleaning. I am the baker and often help prepare the desserts. I am also unusually tall, so I am called on to help clean those hard-to-reach places. I am the Christian who prays and frequently am asked if I might lift up friends who are hurting. 

Where is your place in community? What is your personality? What are the gifts God has given to you to bless others? Share these things generously and with joy, regardless of who may surround you. 

Christians need to be willing to take the first step to welcome Muslims. In Eastern cultures, they are taught to welcome and care for foreigners. The stranger is a guest to be watched over and provided for, not made to feel rejected, ignored or even feared. In the States, someone may not approach or include a Muslim, either because they have made generalizations about them or are concerned it would be an intrusion. But I encourage you to consider what a simple “hello” might lead to.

I recently spoke with a Christian in Minnesota who is reaching out to Muslims in his area. He once asked a Muslim man over for dinner, and as their two families sat down to eat together, his guest announced, “This is a historical moment.” My friend asked why. He answered, “I have lived in this country for 16 years, and this is the first time I have been in an American’s home.”

I have been asked how Christians can better develop relationships with Muslims. In a time when some of those who claim Islam regularly make headlines for the pain they inflict and the terror they incite, what is a healthy and biblical approach to loving those in the broader Muslim world?

Well, let’s look at what the Bible says. It tells you to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). It encourages us to “overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony” (Rev. 12:11). It teaches, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15).

I am not suggesting that we are to be uninformed or undiscerning. It is good to have information—but not to think of it as ammunition. We are not going to show anyone the love of Christ by arguing. No one can debate an individual’s testimony, however; it is a statement of fact and experience. It can be shared with everyone and stolen by no one.

In loving Muslims (or anyone with different religious views, really), the question is not how to degrade another’s faith, but how to strengthen your own faith in Jesus Christ. Is it strong and compassionate enough to draw others? Would they say to you, “Let us go with you because we have heard that God is with you?” (Zech. 8:23)

God is glorified and His Holy Spirit is evident when we choose to share our lives—with Christians and non-Christians alike.

 

Ann Marie* has served with Assemblies of God World Missions since 2001. Her husband gave his life to the field and is buried in a village in Central Eurasia. Ann continues the work their family began, working among both their mosque community in a major city and the villages along the ancient Silk Road. 

To learn more about the challenging area where Ann Marie serves, visit silkroad.live-dead.org. For Christians seeking to better understand Muslims, start with resources like the Global Initiative and Say Hello. This article was originally published in Vital and has been used with permission.

*name has been changed

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