The Dark & Stormy 🌊

We don’t need to convince others to believe differently.

How a Muslim man impacted my own faith:

On the last night of our recent trip to Morocco, my husband, friends, and I wandered around the Tangier medina after dinner.

At around 10 pm, the streets were bustling with people visiting family, making purchases at the myriad of market stalls, and enjoying eating and drinking after dark during Ramadan.

As we wandered, we stopped in a spice shop for our friends to purchase some ras el hanout to take home and were greeted instantly by the small shop’s friendly owner, who asked whether we were enjoying our trip.

He observed it must be very interesting visiting Morocco during Ramadan, to which we agreed. Then, casually, he asked if we were people of faith.

When we confirmed we were Christians, I braced myself for a critique of our faith, a debate about the differences between our religions, or even an invitation to convert.

Instead, he responded by saying, “I’m so glad! It’s so important to have a relationship with God, to have faith.” He then proceeded to share with us how his religion had been an anchor and a blessing in his life.

I was shocked in the best of ways.

There was no criticism of our belief, no attempt at conversion.

There were no arguments over doctrine, no efforts to sway our beliefs. Rather, he simply shared how his faith and relationship with God had made his life better.

My mind has returned to this interaction many times in the weeks since as I’ve pondered why this man sharing about religion didn’t feel pushy—especially when many conversations with people within my own faith have felt that way.

Here’s what I think the difference is: so often, we’ve made sharing our faith about trying to change other people’s beliefs or behavior rather than sharing how God has transformed ours.

What would it look like to radically shift the way we approach conversations about religion, especially with those who believe differently?

Maybe we can release the sense that we must convince others to believe differently.

Maybe having meaningful conversations about God looks less like trying to make others to see the world our way and more like sharing how our relationships with God have shaped us.

And maybe our gentle and genuine testimony will actually be the most impactful.

May Book Recommendation:

Having conversations with people who see the world differently can be intimidating. How can we honor others’ perspectives while still holding true to our values and beliefs?

Now What? by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers addresses how to have meaningful conversations and cultivate relationships with people who see the world differently.

May Blog Preview:

As a follow up to today’s post, this month’s blog will explore ways to talk about faith from a place of sharing our experience, rather than trying to change others. To receive the post straight to your inbox, you can subscribe here.