Employed in God’s Service

Recently I had the opportunity to share a space with someone, and we were thrilled to know we both came from Africa. He’s an Egyptian and of Muslim faith. We also felt the freedom to share our faith with each other; maybe we could find a common ground somewhere along the discussion. I quietly prayed that God would open his heart and make him receptive to what I was going to share with him. Then I found out he was more interested in knowing more about my religion of Christian Science than telling me about his own. He then expressed to me how he has been viewed and perceived by other religions, mostly Christians. The view was if anyone is not a Christian, he or she has no place in heaven or the Kingdom of God, and that the person is destined to hell.

I began by telling him a little about the Founder of Christian Science and why Christian Science is different from the other religions he knows about. The Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, just like Christ Jesus, never preached “religion.” God, Love, was their teaching. Both taught us how we must love God, and love our neighbors as ourselves, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, race, etc. The Bible is full of examples of Jesus crossing boundaries, reaching out to people of different nations and tribes, healing them of their diseases, and teaching them the kingdom of God. He also commended all his followers, then and now, to do likewise. I told him anyone who preaches or practices anything other than the teachings of Christ Jesus is not a Christian, and such a person has no place in His Kingdom of Heaven. It doesn’t matter what religion you belong to. He admired how I referenced Jesus as Christ Jesus, saying he never heard him so referenced before.

Then I asked him if I can share a story from the Bible with him, as he wanted to know more about hell fire, and of heaven; if God has such a place waiting for evil doers. So, I shared the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, and a quote from Mrs. Eddy where she said, “The sinner makes his own hell by doing evil, and the saint his own heaven by doing right.” It can’t be clearer than that. The parable painted the picture to him of what it would be like if one continues to ignore God and do evil; there is no escaping it; the punishment is inevitable. Evil, sin, is what is being punished, not God’s child, regardless of your religion, as seen in the experience of the rich man when he passed on. I also made it clear to him that no God’s child will experience so called “hell”; not now, not here or hereafter; for God never made it.

Our conversation ended with both of us being grateful for the opportunity we had. He said he learned more about Christianity today than he ever thought he knew, especially the realization that not every religion sees differences in people, and he expressed his desire, and I agreed with him, to see more people accepting the commonality we have as God’s children, and loved by Him; to see more people opening their hearts and embracing our differences, then we can help to change and refine someone if the need is there.

I’m really grateful for the opportunity, and I am looking forward to more opportunities like this. This is one of the ways we can bring change in this world. Change of heart and change of nations are all possible!