It was a short 10 minute taxi ride from the hotel to the San Diego airport on Sunday. It was early and I was more than ready to be home. But I felt compelled to get to know the driver. So I asked him how long he had been in the beautiful city of San Diego, to which he replied, “Five years.” So I asked the next sensical question, “Where were you before that?” He told me that he grew up in Africa and had been in the US for only five years. He asked if I had ever been to Africa and I told him I had not but it is one of the places I want to visit some day. He asked what I do for a living and so I told him that I am a minister in a church.
He began a conversation about Christianity and his Muslim faith of Islam. I asked if he was able to practice his religion here and he explained that it is hard to be faithful when the strict practice requires all men to attend the mosque five times per day to pray. I explained that Christians believe that we should pray regularly throughout the day as well but that we can do it anywhere. We discussed the similarities in our heritage and in the difficulty of being faithful to our beliefs.
As we pulled onto the airport property, I knew our time together was drawing to an end so I asked his name. As we parked, I asked him if it would offend him if I prayed for him. He said it wouldn’t, so we sat in the car near the curb at the Southwest check-in and I prayed for my driver, Mohammed. It was a very brief prayer, but when I raised my head to look at him, he was smiling.
That was it, I retrieved my bags from his trunk, shook his hand and paid the fare. I am not so pious to think that my effort and concern made a huge impact in Mohammed’s life – maybe it did. But I can tell you that my eyes and heart were opened to the fact that we are all human beings with similar desires and interests – with real convictions and beliefs. Now please understand, I do not subscribe to the doctrine of Islam and I certainly don’t condone the actions of the extremists. But I do believe that Jesus calls us to love everyone – no matter who they are or what they believe.
Is there room in your heart to love someone who doesn’t see things as you do today?
Clay in the Hands 
Brian, I loved this. This year God has placed a burden on my heart that I need to be more bold about my faith. And that I need to reach out to show all people love, not just the one’ that I know they know Jesus. Jesus is coming soon and we all need to try to bring as many with us as possible. Thanks for your insight.