A Ramadan Story

During the month of September the streets get a little more crowded earlier and people rush to get their food before sundown.  Men gather along the sides of the roads and families gather in their homes with food set out ready to eat.  They wait for what sounds like an emergency siren to go off to signal the official time to eat. Over a billion Muslims have spent the past 30 days celebrating Ramadan, where they fast from food and water during the daylight hours in order to gain favor with their God.

During the month I got to meet with the property manager and guards in our apartment building during this breaking of the fast meal called “Iftar”.  They welcomed me each time we got together and seemed offended if I could not eat with them.  One night it was really neat because sitting around the meal there was a Christian (me), Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslims. 

After one meal, I asked them if I could share with them a story about Jesus and they welcomed the idea.  In my stuttering use of their language, I shared an abbreviated version of Jesus Calming the Storm from Mark’s Gospel.  I told them that this was a true story and that Jesus was very powerful.  They seemed to like the story and said I could tell more next time.

I considered it an honor to be allowed into their celebration so that I could have a chance to share about King Jesus.  Albeit wasn’t much, but it was something to four men who had never heard of Jesus.

 What are we doing to step out into areas that are foreign to us so that we can share the love of Jesus?

1 Corinthians 9:20–22 (ESV)

²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹ To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.