Marhaba

My job is essentially to prepare for, and respond to terrorism events, or suspected terrorism events, and any other event that has the potential to affect public health. Because of the terrorism aspect, we're frequently given opportunities to study both domestic and international terrorist history.

I spent the majority of the day enjoying the lecture of a Los Angeles Police sergeant, who is also a former Jordanian. The LAPD is gracious to allow him to work closely with the various United States Attorney's offices to deliver lectures on Islam and the wider Arabic world, and we were privileged to have him in north Mississippi today.

If you've never given yourself to take an honest look at Islam, let me encourage you to do so. By no means am I promoting their system of belief or faith, but the history of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism aren't all that far apart.

As I sat through the lecture though, contemplating both the similarities and differences in our faiths, I recalled a conversation I had with a gentlemen last week. One thing we talked about was, as Christians, do we try to put "too much" human influence into what is, at its most basic, a very simple faith.

Over the weekend I found a small pocket-size Bible at a Jackson bookstore. I'd been looking for one for a while that would fit several parameters - physical size, translation, text size, cover durability, etc - because it would be the Bible that would get thrown around in my bags while traveling. When I got to the truck and thumbed through it, it opened first to the following passage:

Accept those whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters. One person's faith allows them to eat everything, but another person, whose faith is weak, can only eat vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted that person. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master they must stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Romans 14:1-4 TNIV

Where am I going with this? I'm not totally sure, but it may be that I'm questioning how much of our religious activity has been developed by us - imperfect humans - as a means of self-satisfaction. But Romans plainly tells us to not hold our brothers and sisters in self-serving contempt for their weak or strong faith. We should accept others, and encourage them. But we cannot make anyone grow or change, that is solely of themselves.

My faith is as basic as it was one Monday afternoon when I was in the third grade (I think). We had RA's on Monday after school, and that one day Bro. George saw something missing in me, and led me to that redemption and salvation. In the years since then, the basics have remained...I'm a sinner, always have been and always will be. But God loves me just the same, and since that very day..."Their sins and lawless acts, I will remember them no more" (Jer 31:34) Is it correct to say my future sins are forgiven? No, they're not, and I'm called to live to a higher standard. But God's grace is sufficient and faithful in my falls.

This has been a bit rambling, but you'd have to fully understand my last week. Then add on the lecture I sat in today and it left me asking a lot of introspective questions. The last tidbit of the day was a sign in front of a country church on the way home "God will take your mess and make it a message." I loved it!

Marhaba - you are welcome....