On Saturday this week I went to visit a friend in town who happens to be Muslim. What I didn't know was that her mosque was celebrating Maulid (Mohammed's birthday) that day. When she wasn't at home, I was directed to go find her at the mosque. Outside of the mosque I asked someone to fetch her for me. She came out and we returned to her shop and to chat.
I met this woman randomly in town a of couple months ago and upon finding out that I am a Christian she told me that she is Muslim, so basically the same thing. She just prefers Mohammed, while I prefer Jesus. We got into a great discussion about that point and thus our friendship was begun.
After visiting at her shop, she invited me to return with her to the mosque. I agreed because, why not? I have nothing to fear from a mosque. She brought me a head covering and a couple kangas (a garment that you wrap around yourself). Once I was decked out we headed back to the mosque. The women were sitting in a special section and cooking a feast for the celebration. The women took great pleasure in watching me try and help by stirring a huge pot of rice, they enjoyed how pink my cheeks got from bending over the pot of rice and sympathized with my tears because of the smoke that was burning my eyes.
They tried to convert me to Islam by telling me that if I just knew enough, I would love Mohammed more than Jesus. And I basically told them the reverse of that. We became fast friends.
Anyway, that is the set up to the revelation I had about Jesus...and it has nothing to do with Islam or a mosque...that just happened to be the setting.
Well before anyone else was brought food, I was given a plate of food and an old woman washed my hands so that I could eat first. As I took the plate and started eating I realized that I have not always been a gracious recipient of unmerited favor.
For the past 4 years, I have had people favor me. They may have any number of reasons for favoring me, but that doesn't change the fact that I know that I don't merit it. Whether it is being sought out for a friendship, being served first, being taken out to a meal, or given a gift; I have wanted to deserve it, not simply be given it. If I know that I have earned something, I'm fine with receiving it. If I know that I truly haven't done anything to earn it, I try hard to give it up because it doesn't rightfully belong to me.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this way. If I were, then there would be no legalism in the world, except in me.
God has His reasons for favoring us and pouring out all his blessings and promises on us. That doesn't change the fact that we know that we don't merit it. So, we either try to earn it or doctrinize away why we don't have those blessings and promises. Really there are a number of reasons why we might not have them, one of those reasons being that we simply won't receive them. Over the past 4 years I've had to learn to be a recipient of unmerited favor because of living here in Tanzania and being white. Being born white truly doesn't give me any inherent merit. But, the plate of food was being given to me, it was there for the taking, despite my not meriting it, and despite the fact that I really didn't think it should be meant for me. But why despise a blessing or a gift that is being freely given to you? Why not just receive it graciously and be thankful that you are favored despite meriting it.
How often do we do this with God's blessings and promises throughout the Bible?
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