Taking the Next Step

Now that you have completed this study, you may be wondering how to get involved and where to get started with acting in love toward Muslims. There are 1.57 billion Muslims living throughout the world today. This is 22% of the world’s population. 62% of Muslims live in Asia and another 20% live in Arab countries. There are many Muslims immigrating to the States every year, making our current population of Muslims around 3-6 million (this number fluctuates among sources). Because of the wide spread of Muslims in the world, there are a variety of ways love can be expressed.

It’s very possible you do not personally know any Muslims and are unsure of how you can show love to people you don’t have any contact with. In this appendix you will find a list of practical ideas of how you can take that next step. Maybe you have Muslim neighbors or co-workers but you don’t know how to start a relationship with them. Or perhaps you live in or near a Muslim community and want to get involved somehow. Consider these following options as a gateway to that new friendship.

Prayer—Perhaps the very first thing you can begin to do is pray. Prayer is a very powerful way to develop love toward Muslims. Pray for your Muslim neighbors and co-workers. Pray for those throughout the world. As you pray for Muslims, your heart will begin to soften toward their needs as well as their eventual salvation. God will reveal to you through prayer how you can express love in a profound way toward Muslims.

Heart Alignment—Check your thoughts, attitudes, and words. This is where expressing love starts—from within your heart. As Jesus said, “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart” (Matthew 15:18a). If what we are thinking is negative, then our words and actions will reflect that. How do you converse with others concerning topics on Islam, Muslims, terrorists, or mosque building? Do you reflect bitterness? It certainly is okay to disagree and even be firmly against certain issues. But is how you disagree coming across as hatred toward Muslim people? Consider what the real issue is, and be sure to express it with grace. This can go a long way toward showing love toward someone, even if you don’t agree with their actions.

Smile—If you are walking past a Muslim man or woman, smile! Unfortunately, Muslims are often ridiculed by people passing them by. A simple nod of acknowledgement could really brighten their day and maybe even lead to a friendship. This is being a Good Samaritan in its simplest form.

Hospitality—Opening up one’s home is a virtue within Muslim cultures. If you have Muslim neighbors or co-workers, invite them into your home. You don’t have to have a big meal either—tea and sweets are perfect for a social visit. Get to know your new friend by asking questions. Perhaps ask them what country they are from and if they have other family living in the States. If they are new to the area, offer to help them out. Maybe they don’t have a car—give them a lift. Be there for them. As your friendship develops, don’t be afraid to ask them about their beliefs. Listen and show interest—be a learner. This shows your friend that you care about them and will naturally open the door for you to share some about your faith.

Community Involvement—If you live in or near a Muslim community, there are several ways you can get involved. If you enjoy teaching, check and see if there is a community center in the area. You could teach basic English, help kids with homework, teach computer and a variety of other classes that may be offered. It’s a great setting for building new relationships and expressing love. Other ways you can get involved in the community is by learning about community events and participating in them, hosting a VBS in a local park, or frequenting an ethnic restaurant or grocery store and getting to know the workers.

Share Common Ground—Focus on the beliefs you share in common with your Muslim friend. For instance, they believe in the importance of prayer. They believe in doing good. They believe God is holy and all-powerful. As you discuss commonalities, your differences will also come up in conversation. Listen as they share their views, and gracefully explain yours. Meet your friend where he or she is at and avoid debates. Your job is not to win an argument, but rather to have patience and understanding toward your friend.

Pray Together—Offer to pray with your Muslim friend. This expresses love in volumes! They will see that you truly care about them and their needs, struggles, and joys. When Muslims offer up a short prayer, or a call up to God, they call it du´a. With this kind of prayer, they keep their eyes open and they hold their arms out, palms up. Du´a is a much more personal kind of prayer than their required recited prayers, and can be done at anytime and anyplace.

Peace During Wartime— As Christians, our faith needs to permeate all areas of our life, and that includes politics. Political issues shouldn’t be left to just our government to figure out. We need to be involved as well. One huge political topic in our nation today is the war in the Middle East. We disagree on whether our troops should be there or not, if we have made a positive impact or not, and what we should be doing now. Regardless of your opinion on these issues, it may be good to consider how you can be involved in other ways to help bring peace to these war-torn areas. For example, you can check with different non-profit organizations to see what they are doing in these areas and how you can lend a hand.

Immigration—This is another touchy subject. But again, how should the Christian worldview affect our perspective and action on this topic? Consider the fact that so many Muslim countries are closed to hearing the Gospel. Several of these countries won’t even allow missionaries to come in. If a Muslim does become a follower of Christ, they often face the real fact of persecution from their friends and family. This makes ministry very difficult in these areas! However, many Muslims from these Gospel-closed countries are immigrating to the States. What an opportunity we have as believers to share the Good News of Christ with them! Could it be that God is bringing them to us for this very reason? Perhaps we spend too much time thinking about the cons of immigrants in our nation. Let’s consider how we can use this movement as an opportunity to share Christ. Perhaps your church can adopt a family who just moved to the area. You could donate furniture, clothes, and food to help them get started. Let them know you are available to help out if they need it as they adjust to a new culture and language.

Missionaries and Social Workers—Perhaps you personally know, or your church knows of missionaries or social workers who live overseas ministering and working among the Muslims there. Is there a way you can help support them? You may not physically be able to go overseas, but missionaries and social workers can be an extension of your love. You can certainly support their ministry through financial means, but you may also want to consider what you enjoy doing and how that can help the ministry. For example, if you enjoy graphic design, offer to design newsletters or websites for the missionary/social worker. If you do children’s ministry at your church, think of ways you can educate the kids on what the missionary/social worker is doing. If you don’t know anyone right now, check into some ministries that serve in Islamic countries or work among Muslims and see how you can get involved.