Living in Fear
April 4, 2025
“What does God require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” These simple yet profound words from Micah 6:8 are guideposts to understanding our relationship with God and others. I would challenge you to engage your Muslim friends, neighbors, or colleagues with this verse. Ask them how these words could be lived out in today’s world. Muslims greatly respect the Old Testament prophets, and this could prove to be a great conversation.
While many Christians shy away from talking about religion and faith, most Muslims are willing to engage in such conversations. Many Muslims are not well-trained in understanding theology. They are just told to believe what they have been taught—end of story. Having a Christian willing to engage them in an amicable conversation is something they may find both enjoyable and beneficial.
Engaging with Gentleness
As you engage Muslims on matters of faith, I would encourage moderation and gentleness. Avoid attacking their prophet, as any perceived attack may lead to defensiveness and perhaps an argument. Then you will lose any opportunity to share the gospel with them. Instead, share stories of the Old Testament prophets and the faithful and unfaithful kings. Let them see the benefits of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. Show them the Old Testament background to the coming of Christ, explaining that he didn’t suddenly appear. Jesus is found in history as part of God’s unfolding story. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open their eyes to see and understand. Please take the time to review and repeat. They will be hearing many of these things for the first time. Unlike those of us who have grown up hearing them in Sunday School our whole lives. Reinforcement and repetition are helpful teaching tools.
Your Muslim friends will have just ended Ramadan, the month of fasting, with a big three-day celebration called Eid-ul Fitr or simply Eid-I-Ramazan, starting on March 30. You could ask them how the month of fasting went. How many of their family members fasted? How did family members back home observe Ramadan? What was their favorite food to eat once the month of fasting was over? How did they celebrate the end of the month? I am sure you could come up with other questions as well.
Engaging with them and asking questions about their faith, family, and culture are helpful ways to build trust. It will encourage them to ask reciprocal questions about your family and faith. Through these interactions, we are planting seeds of faith, hope, and love. In every interaction or visit, we encourage you to take time to pray. Ask for specific prayer requests and if there aren’t any, offer a general prayer of peace and blessings over them and their family, closing in Jesus’ name.
Muslims don’t generally engage in a lot of personal prayer. They are great at following the daily memorized prayers that they pray lined up in rows at the local mosque. However, my personal experience is that personal prayer among Muslims is much less common. Many believe that God is so holy that he is unknowable. Let them see you pray for your daily needs and theirs—not to brag or show off (Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for doing that) but as someone who knows God personally. Let your prayers be a testimony to your relationship with the living God!
Additional Posts
