I had been invited to speak to a group of Muslims, specifically about the history of Christianity. Pressed by my translator to answer a question that I had somewhat evaded, I was left with nowhere to go but to talk more specifically and personally about Jesus. I had been describing to them my own sense of disappoint ment with and even disdain of the religion of Christianity. They all quickly agreed that as a religion, there were deep problems and inconsistencies between beliefs and practices.
But eventually they wanted to know what exactly was the meaning behind the coming ofjesus, Somewhat apprehensively I began my best effort to translate back into a Middle Eastern context the story of Jesus (after all, this was Jesus’ home turf) and, more specifically, why it would be necessary for God to become human. This, from my vantage point, was the story of God. It’s a love story, by the way.
“I once met a girl named Kim.”
My translator looked at me confused. I’m sure he was wracking his brain, trying to remember some biblical character named Kim. He stopped translating and just looked at me. I encouraged him to simply translate .
“I once met a girl named Kim. and fell in love.”
I continued, “I pursued her with my love and pursued her with my love until I felt my love had captured her heart. So I asked her to be my wife, and she said no. ” I could feel their empathy, if not their pity.
“I was unrelenting and asked her again, pursuing her with my love, and I pursued her with my love untill she said yes.”
There was huge relief throughout the entire room.
I went on, “I did not send my brother, nor did I send a friend, for in issues of love, you must go yourself.
“This is the story of God: he pursues you with his love and pursues you with his love, and you have perhaps not said yes. And if you reject his love, he pursues you ever still. It was not enough to send an angel or a prophet or any other, for in issues of love, you must go yourself. And so God has come.
“This is the story of Jesus, that God has walked among us and he pursues us with his Love. He is very familiar with rejection but is undeterred. And he is here even now, still pursuing you with his love.”
The images we often receive of Muslims are that they’re angry, hostile, and violent people. I can tell you that in this moment I knew there was something transcendent that connected all of our hearts and souls together. A belief that was supposed to divide us strangely united us, and I feel most certain that I know why. Every human being longs for love. The possibility that God is love is an almost overwhelming prospect.
In that moment the story of Jesus was not about who is right and who is wrong, what God’s name is and who his prophet is, but what exactly God’s motivation toward humanity is. If the message that God wants to get across to us is just about getting our beliefs right, then he didn’t need to come himself. If God’s entire intent was to clarify right from wrong, no personal visitation was necessary. If the ultimate end was simply to overwhelm us with the miraculous so that we would finally believe, then even God taking on flesh and blood and walking among us was far from necessary.
There is only one reason for God to come himself, because in issues of love, you just can’t have someone else stand in for you.
