One week ago today I was leaving Florida. I was leaving Orlando early in the morning, on a flight that would take me away from not only balmy 85 degrees and palm trees, but a week full of rejuvenating connections and humble learning at InterVarsity's national staff conference. It was a week in which I grew in awareness, appreciation and understanding of how God chooses to move in beautiful ways through broken people. God has been teaching me a lot, in many things that began that week as quiet whispers, that have slowly continued shaping and forming with more clarity as of recent. These slow whispers included the Spirit moving in me on things such as racism and inclusion, Jesus' words of dying to self, and surrendering selfish desire. One of the main take-aways of my week in Florida revolved around the exposition and study of Mary (mother of Jesus). Not only did Mary humble herself before God in the radical pregnancy to usher in the Messiah, but her life was also a beautiful image of balancing a divine paradox; welcoming God's innovative surprise of the impossible ("how can this be?) while also founding her hope in God's faithfulness of the past, in generations that had waited for a Messiah ("And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation" (Luke 1:50).
However, one of the main affirmations for me was after a week of learning. After feeling like "the new guy" for much of the conference, it would be on the plane home that I would be able to tie in and tie together what God was doing within me.
On my Delta flight I met a man named Vijay. It's always a goal of mine when flying to start off well with those to the right or left of me. There seems to be a social wall that goes up for many once the plane starts moving. It's in those first few minutes of a flight that I find its easiest to feel the proverbial waters of conversation. I've found that plane flights can be some of the most interesting. Or terribly boring. Either way, depending on how one goes, you might as well be hand-cuffed together until you land.
I started asking Vijay about his plans of travel, and quickly learned about an exciting biomedical career that gave him wings to fly multiple times a year. On and off in the first hour of our trip, we chatted on different topics such as hobbies and family, before he started asking me about what I did. I explained that my work was with InterVarsity, working with students and being part of an Evangelical movement. Vijay asked me about charity involvement that my work included, which gently opened up a thoughtful conversation on faith when I asked him the same question. Vijay self-identified as a Muslim, and began asking me questions about my faith. We chatted on specifics of the Trinity ( some of which I had to humbly plead lack of knowledge ), differences between denominations, and how the Bible was different than the Koran. He seemed glad to be able to ask me questions about Christianity that he had "asked other Jewish and Christian friends but still hadn't found a solid response." Thankfully I was able to ask him questions about his own faith; how his faith impacted his view of Jesus, his perspective on sin, and issues with translating the Koran. Half-way through the hour-long conversation, Vijay turned to me and said "I am so happy that we are able to talk civilly about these things. So many people don't know how to talk about faith without being angry." I was struck with the level of patience and humility that beheld our conversation; I was curious to really know his questions and answers, and I found that Vijay was the same way- he carefully listened to what I had to say and had honest responses. It was a conversation in which we were both able to clearly share how our faiths differed, yet I was thankful to be able not the compromise my beliefs for the sake of having a civil conversation, but instead being able to share with Grace how I saw our differing views. As I had initiated spiritual talk, there was a tinge of fear in me at the beginning of our shared words, yet as we progressed there came a sense of trust that led to more honest questions. I was glad and oddly surprised that I did not feel like I was trying to 'win' the conversation. I think that is where we often go wrong in trying to understand eachother.
One of the most profound things from my time with Vijay on the plane was when he was chatting about the religious communities in Orlando. He was sharing about how neighboring Mosques, Churches and Synagogues had actually partnered together in the neighborhood in which he lived. We shared with me some feelings about his perspective on being Muslim in America in our political time. I asked him honestly: "Vijay, what would you say to people who are honestly wanting to learn more from Muslim Americans?"
He responded as he put up one finger after another; "turn off your T.V. Go to a mosque. Talk to somebody."
After a week of learning about pursing multi-ethnicity in the Church and how the completion of the Kingdom of God eradicates the idea of "the other " through Jesus, I was met with a very tangible opportunity on my home from Orlando. I was met with a chance to balance humility in understanding and boldness in what I believed. Our political climate is harsh. We are bombarded with paradigms of hate. Truth is often hard to find in the muddied waters of social media and disagreeing news channels. Anger is easy to find, with humility escaping quickly. We live in a "moment" that is becoming less and less relational.
Last week I was reminded to listen. I was reminded to gain a new perspective. Not just from following a differing view on Facebook, but from having a real conversation with someone who has a different perspective from I. It was a moment in which I was impacted immensely. I believe God works in times like those. Would we be people who are "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry."
However, one of the main affirmations for me was after a week of learning. After feeling like "the new guy" for much of the conference, it would be on the plane home that I would be able to tie in and tie together what God was doing within me.
On my Delta flight I met a man named Vijay. It's always a goal of mine when flying to start off well with those to the right or left of me. There seems to be a social wall that goes up for many once the plane starts moving. It's in those first few minutes of a flight that I find its easiest to feel the proverbial waters of conversation. I've found that plane flights can be some of the most interesting. Or terribly boring. Either way, depending on how one goes, you might as well be hand-cuffed together until you land.
I started asking Vijay about his plans of travel, and quickly learned about an exciting biomedical career that gave him wings to fly multiple times a year. On and off in the first hour of our trip, we chatted on different topics such as hobbies and family, before he started asking me about what I did. I explained that my work was with InterVarsity, working with students and being part of an Evangelical movement. Vijay asked me about charity involvement that my work included, which gently opened up a thoughtful conversation on faith when I asked him the same question. Vijay self-identified as a Muslim, and began asking me questions about my faith. We chatted on specifics of the Trinity ( some of which I had to humbly plead lack of knowledge ), differences between denominations, and how the Bible was different than the Koran. He seemed glad to be able to ask me questions about Christianity that he had "asked other Jewish and Christian friends but still hadn't found a solid response." Thankfully I was able to ask him questions about his own faith; how his faith impacted his view of Jesus, his perspective on sin, and issues with translating the Koran. Half-way through the hour-long conversation, Vijay turned to me and said "I am so happy that we are able to talk civilly about these things. So many people don't know how to talk about faith without being angry." I was struck with the level of patience and humility that beheld our conversation; I was curious to really know his questions and answers, and I found that Vijay was the same way- he carefully listened to what I had to say and had honest responses. It was a conversation in which we were both able to clearly share how our faiths differed, yet I was thankful to be able not the compromise my beliefs for the sake of having a civil conversation, but instead being able to share with Grace how I saw our differing views. As I had initiated spiritual talk, there was a tinge of fear in me at the beginning of our shared words, yet as we progressed there came a sense of trust that led to more honest questions. I was glad and oddly surprised that I did not feel like I was trying to 'win' the conversation. I think that is where we often go wrong in trying to understand eachother.
One of the most profound things from my time with Vijay on the plane was when he was chatting about the religious communities in Orlando. He was sharing about how neighboring Mosques, Churches and Synagogues had actually partnered together in the neighborhood in which he lived. We shared with me some feelings about his perspective on being Muslim in America in our political time. I asked him honestly: "Vijay, what would you say to people who are honestly wanting to learn more from Muslim Americans?"
He responded as he put up one finger after another; "turn off your T.V. Go to a mosque. Talk to somebody."
After a week of learning about pursing multi-ethnicity in the Church and how the completion of the Kingdom of God eradicates the idea of "the other " through Jesus, I was met with a very tangible opportunity on my home from Orlando. I was met with a chance to balance humility in understanding and boldness in what I believed. Our political climate is harsh. We are bombarded with paradigms of hate. Truth is often hard to find in the muddied waters of social media and disagreeing news channels. Anger is easy to find, with humility escaping quickly. We live in a "moment" that is becoming less and less relational.
Last week I was reminded to listen. I was reminded to gain a new perspective. Not just from following a differing view on Facebook, but from having a real conversation with someone who has a different perspective from I. It was a moment in which I was impacted immensely. I believe God works in times like those. Would we be people who are "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry."