What if a Muslim Does Something Right?

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I had a troubling chat at church last week. A good guy I’d never met before, who’s recovering from a stroke, told me some of his story, including a move the day before. He shared with gratitude and delight how the local Mormon church had rallied to help him and his wife, “They brought trucks, a bunch of people. It was great. Within a few hours everything was out of the old place and into the new one.”

Well, yay for this guy. But this kind of bugged me and I’m not sure why. I don’t think it’s because our church should have done the helping and we dropped the ball. We didn’t know they were moving.

I’m concerned that I just don’t want Mormons doing good things because I have them in a category of “people who don’t believe correctly.” So what happens when people who don’t believe correctly actually act correctly? Should we celebrate it? Or is it maybe a risky thing because others might be drawn into their incorrect beliefs?

I think maybe we do this with Muslims too. You probably saw on the news last week that a young Muslim man near Paris stabbed his mom and a sister to death. This is evil. It also fits in with a general narrative that Muslims do that kind of thing. What didn’t make headlines here was the Eid Al Adha related contributions of maybe thousands of Muslims to flood victims in Kerala. There are other reasons, to be sure, but I wonder if we don’t see what doesn’t fit our narrative.

Do I feel the same dissonance when a Muslim does something good. If they’re wrong, can they do something right?

You may have some helpful thoughts on this. If you can spare a minute to comment below, the rest of us would like to hear them.

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13 Comments

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13 Responses to What if a Muslim Does Something Right?

  1. Beth

    Each human being has been created after God’s own image. God loves the world, i.e. mankind, so He has no problem with Muslims doing good things. Let’s just rejoice and even show our appreciation.

  2. Sharon Thompson

    As a Christian this is an excellent opportunity to establish relationship and eventually witness to them about our Jesus Christ. God opens doors for us to witness and engage with nonbelievers. We just need to be ready to seize the time

  3. I know there have been many times my husband and I have been frustrated when we ask for help/volunteers with some specific events for teen moms and we ask the church guys first but more often than not they all say “no” and we ask our Indian and Bengali friends.

    We have said several times that if the believers don’t cry out in worship, it will come from the rocks.

    I often feel similarly about foster care. If the church doesn’t step up and do it’s job to take care of the orphans and widows, someone will and it’s going to be families that Christians don’t agree with. If Christians flood the system, a lot of the problems Christians have with the system would not exist (I’m not specifying the specific problem I’m referring to in public).

    But yes, not knowing and not being asked is one thing but we have all been called as followers of Christ, so if and when we know, we need to step up. It’s not easy and it most likely won’t be convenient to follow Him.

    • But yes, lol to answer the actual question. A Muslim or Mormon acting like Christ shows that they were created in His image and we should in no way discourage this. But rather use it to share the gospel and the God that this inherent good comes from.

      • Good word, Felicia. Something tells me that part of the conversation is that God seems pleased to work in winsome ways through all sorts of people. From Alexander Graham Bell to Rob Bell.

  4. Andy Hansen

    What a great question, Shane! I wish I had a wise and comprehensive answer. I get defensive when other faiths accomplish the works I believe the Christian Church should be doing. I feel that it is wrong to feel this way unless it spurs me on to accomplish more for the Kingdom of God. That’s usually how I present it to others, and others present it to me. We will say ‘Why didn’t we do that?’ If it leads to action, great. Often, though, my brothers and sisters in Christ say ‘we’ when they often mean ‘somebody else in our Church, but not me’. I’m guilty of that as well.

  5. Kimeron

    Hi Shane…. I know what you mean! I always want us- as believers- to be the ones to “get it right” But we don’t….. we still have that sinful bent in this fallen, broken world….. until our savior’s return! Until then, I try to remember that every human (Christian, Mormon, Muslim, slave, free, male, female, clergy or prisoner… you’ve my drift) are made in the image of God.

    So… when kindnesses and good come out- I give God His due praise – ask that He would somehow get the glory- whether it was intended to or not!

    But …. by far the BESTis when we as followers
    Get to do something kind or right….. where we ourselves do not get the credit or acknowledgement…. but God alone does!!!!

  6. My thoughts are the same as others have shared. We are all created in the image of God. Any time we are exhibiting kindness or doing “good” we are reflecting Him and that should always be celebrated.

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