| Got a favorite Christmas song? (I bet you also have some you’d rather not hear for another year or ever!) Mine is “Let It Be” by the Beatles. “What? That’s not a Christmas song,” I hear you say. You may be right. But I love that Mary told Gabriel, “Let it be to me according to your word.” I don’t know if she whispered those words of wisdom, but she certainly nailed a good response.
That attitude, along with much more, both biblical and beyond, has earned Mary unique status for Christians. For Muslims as well. She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran, showing up more there than in the New Testament. In Sura 3.42, the Quran says, “O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.” Muslims tend to refer to her as Maryam, but it’s the same mom and the respect is real. I say this not to lift up Islam, but to point out common ground. Sometimes some Muslims do terrible things close to Christmas. I pray not this year. Let’s try to remember even so, that most Muslims share a great deal of thinking and believing with Christians. Should the Lord open a door for you this season, ask a Muslim about her thoughts on Mary. That conversation might quickly move to you both sharing thoughts on her baby! Yes, Muslims and Christians have important disagreements regarding the nature of that little rascal, but we both love both him and his mom. And time spent talking about what we do agree on will not be wasted. No Muslims to chat with? Join me in this: For the next two weeks every time you hear a carol you dislike, take a moment to pray that many Muslims will find Jesus in a fresh way this Christmas.
Thank you for reading Muslim Connect. Should God lead you to give a year-end gift to keep it going, you can do so here. I will be quite grateful |