Joy reigned in our house last week when the kiddos got two consecutive snow days! Something not joy probably characterizes the thousands of Indian students whose schools are closed this week in Karnataka due to controversysurrounding whether or not Muslim students can wear hijabs to class.
As you’d guess, it’s challenging to discern where the controversy began. Each side would like to take the moral high ground and say, “We’re only righteously responding to the problem ‘those guys’ instigated!”
As you might also guess, I’m sympathetic to the Muslim side of this argument. I’ve seen first hand how Muslims are oppressed and marginalized in India. There’s also the reality that roughly 80% of India is Hindu compared to 15% Muslim. And the BJP (the Hindu nationalist party to which current Prime Minister Modi belongs) has seized this polarizing issue to enflame passions for their party.
I’m so glad we never see anything like this in the U.S. (wink, wink)
So what, if anything, can a thoughtful Christian do given that most of us are so far away?
You may have better ideas, but here are two things to pray and two to do:
- Pray for Christians who make up less than 2% of Karnataka. May they shine like stars of love and hope in the midst of these current challenges.
- Pray Matt. 6.10 that God’s kingdom would come in Karnataka. Jesus told us to pray this. May he also give us faith that his answer will be yes!
Two to do:
- Let’s examine our hearts and ask the Holy Spirit to point out where we harbor similar hatred and lust for power.
- Let’s keep our eyes open for fresh ways to reach out to oppressed and marginalized people in our own lives and work.