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India, the blue whale of democracies, began voting today in a national election to choose its prime minister. On one side is Narendra Modi, the incumbent PM and head of the Hindu nationalist BJP party. On the other side is Rahul Gandhi, the youthful, current crown-wearer in the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and leader of the opposition Congress Party. On the still other sides are a dizzying variety of candidates from some 2000 political parties!

This election, which continues until May 19, will see nearly twice as many people vote than the entire population of the USA! Who will win is anyone’s guess right now, although a young professional and musician friend from the south said he sees a general dissatisfaction with Modi among his peers.

Besides its mind-boggling hugeness (There are 1 million polling stations!), here’s why I think we should care about the India election: Its outcome will, to varying degrees, affect the lives of 200 million Muslims and 30 million Christians. (Tweet this.)

Modi has allowed or fomented, depending on who you ask, the increased marginalization and abuse of religious minorities. Some Muslims have been lynched by radical Hindu groups on suspicion of smuggling cows. Many fear his re-election will only continue these trends.

This election is as complex as it is huge and I know almost nothing about what’s actually going on. But God is not puzzled. He knows the good guys, the bad guys and every bit of gray in each candidate and voter. And I believe he welcomes our participation in prayer.

Let’s pray. . .

. . .that violence will be minimal.

. . .that God will guide the election in such a way that his kingdom comes more and more in India.

. . .that our Christian sisters and brothers would be wise, safe and smelling like Jesus.

. . .that our Muslim cousins would be heard, protected and invited to ever increasing life.

Thank you. Dhanyavaad. Shukria.

Can you respond to a question for me? (Seriously, just “click, click, submit!): Do Muslims and Christians serve the same God? Or another way to consider this: Is the same being petitioned when Muslims pray to Allah and Christians pray to God? Please go here to click on a multiple choice answer.

I’m guessing when you hear, “Salt Lake City,” the first M-word that comes to mind is not “Muslim.” While one could argue that Mormons and Muslims have similarities in addition to both being “new and improved” versions of Christianity, they are not often associated.

Even so, on a recent trip to Utah, I was on the lookout for Muslims. In part, because I usually am, but also because I was fixing to tell a local church they should reach out to them. Such an admonition becomes more annoying than normal when none live nearby!

Happily, between landing around noon and turning in my rental car at 7 pm, I met three or four Muslims, a super kind Thai woman and a grumpy Russian guy (His grumpiness likely owing more to traveling with teenagers, than with being Russian!).

I also had a minor league epiphany: Possibly the best second or third question to ask when building an initial relationship with a Muslim is, “Is it beautiful?” In this case “It” is wherever they told you home was when you asked first, “Where are you from?”

Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder and many of the Muslims we’re likely to meet carry nostalgia from a life somewhere else, this question will probably be answered affirmatively.

Odds are also good you’ve not been where they’re from, so the question is honest and ripe for follow up with, “tell me about it,” or “I’d love to go there someday.”

I know I love to tell people how beautiful Indiana and Colorado, my “froms,” are. Don’t you? So give this a try. Expect it to lead to questions about family, comparisons to current life and, if you’re feeling feisty, to the God from whom all beauty emanates.

If you and a like-minded Christian friend were going to start a book club with a couple of Muslim friends, what books might you want on the reading list? For me, I’d want to read Leif Enger’s Peace Like a River, probably my favorite novel of all time. If this question intrigues you and you can spare us a moment, please list a couple here.

Did you ever think, “Man, I’m glad I’m not a pastor?” I mean really, sometimes they must feel like second-grade teachers, but all the students have cars and can go to a different school if they get mad! And boy do they get mad. . . at the silliest things.

I’m sure I only see some of what my pastor puts up with and it’s sufficient to make me think, “He’s not getting paid enough for this.” And of course, everyone knows what he’s getting paid, right? We approve the budget! Once you get past the puerile, “Hee hee, he only works one day a week” jokes, it’s a wonder anyone takes the role!

Then, on top of it all, people like me (and maybe you!) pipe up and say, “Yeah, well it’s not enough to lead and care for your tribe. How about your church make a difference in the whole wide world?!?!

It’s a tough assignment, but we need pastors in many ways, not the least of which is to help churches know why to connect with Muslims and maybe even how to do so.

In an effort to help pastors with this, can I ask you to do something? Could you ask yours a couple of questions for me? Simply copy and paste these in an email or text. Of if you’re totally crazy, call him! (If you are a pastor, well, it goes without saying!)

Do you sense God leading our church to think or act in new ways toward Muslims? If so, any idea what?

If you felt God leading us in new directions with Muslims, what are some of the challenges you would face in doing so?

Simply that. Ask your pastor and let me know what you hear. I’ll be big time grateful.

The late Senator John McCain showed up in my dream last night. During some sort of committee meeting, he bit down on a sheaf of papers I was holding! I popped the papers out of his mouth and smacked him over the head with them! Yes, this was disrespectful, but he took it like a champ. I might have been a little feverish.

Maybe nastier things than mouthy politicians haunt your dreams. For many Muslims, ghouls known as Jinn trouble not only dreams but real life.

Jinn predate Islam. They occupy a place in Islamic cosmology somewhere between humans and angels or demons. Amid a dizzying variety of beliefs and opinions about Jinn, these things are generally held to be true: They can be both good or bad, but usually present as troubling menaces, including possessing people. They can see but are not seen. They tend to live in dirty, desolate places. They are created by God and will be judged by him.

I’m no expert, but I don’t believe my stream of Christianity has a parallel being to these. Perhaps in practicality, we tend to view demons in the same way some Muslims view Jinn.

Even a little awareness of Jinn provides us with:

An opportunity for empathy. Scripture assures us nothing can separate us from the love of God. Jinn will be in the parade of captives Paul mentions in Colossians 2.15. While Muslims surely believe God is more powerful, they may deal with greater day-to-day fear.

A catalyst for conversation. Tell your Muslim friend you’ve heard a tiny bit about Jinn and sensitively ask them their thoughts.

A challenge to our cosmology. What do we believe about the nature of spiritual beings? I confess to stunted understanding of the spiritual world. I am a product of my culture in this regard and perhaps think too little of these things.

My heart is heavy with the news of the mosque massacre in New Zealand earlier today. How do you even wrap your head around something like this? A man walks into a mosque for Friday prayers, holding his son’s hand. He stumbles out later carrying his son’s now lifeless body.

Certainly many more people, Muslim, Christian and others will die alone and unknown today. But the situation in Christchurch is closer to our world. I don’t know about you, but it feels like it could have been where I live, maybe where you live.

As people who follow Jesus and are learning to love Muslims as he does, how do we respond to this? For starters, we weep with those who weep. Paul’s challenge in Roman’s 12 helps us put love into action.

We can also pray. . . for comfort, healing and hope. For those clinging to life in the hospital and for families wondering how life can go on after this.

If you’re reading this in time, consider reaching out to a Muslim friend and asking if it would be appropriate to go to Friday prayers with them. Or maybe even to stand in support outside the mosque. If not this week, perhaps next.

Consider sending a note of support and empathy to a Muslim friend. This is a collective tragedy. I wouldn’t for an instant presume to understand, but I hope we’ll err on the side of trying to care.

If you don’t have a Muslim friend to send a note to, consider a general word of sympathy on your Facebook page. You can read what I wrote here.

“Let your kingdom come, let your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” — Jesus.

I once tagged along with a buddy on his speaking gig at Texas A&M. Fouad is Lebanese-American, has a Ph.D., several books to his credit and is a master teacher. I had a bit part in his day-long seminar because my superpower is enabling people to say, “Well, I guess if Shane can do it, I probably can too.”

The night before the seminar we accepted an invitation to the Aggie-land Nowruz celebration. Amid the food and fun, I sat next to Fouad as he chatted in increasing depth with an Iranian Muslim man. They talked about Islam, history and theology. I listened, learned. . . and wrestled with my value. I thought, “What sort of imposter am I? I have nothing to offer this conversation, let alone the capacity to start my own.”

If you’re not born into an Arab family, you never get that starting point. Dang biology! And while I could learn Farsi (Theoretically, I’m not delusional.), it will never be my mother tongue. Nor will I ever be an expert on the Quran, Muhammad or Muslim history.

Facing up to this reality, I have a few options, most of which I’ve taken at varying points.

Whine: Woe. Everyone’s smarter than me.
Envy: Of course I’ve never envied. Just thought it should be on the list.
Read a book: Actually did this once. No lie.
Resign: The couch is comfy and Friends is still funny on the fourth go around.
Cheer: Encourage the people who are smarter than me. (If you are an expert, good for you! You’ve worked hard to earn your capacity. Keep at it and kindly help the rest of us along the way.)
Accept & Expect: So I’m a dope. Most of the people God used in the Bible and history were also dopes. And believe me: You and I will connect with people in ways that experts can’t. We count. (Tweet this.)

Not an expert? No problem. We’ll do what we can! Let’s band together, download this app and do a tribe-wide, Lent-long prayer blitz for our neighborhoods and the nations.

I’m longing for spring more this year than I can remember. The snow here in southern Colorado is fighting a valiant, but losing, battle with warming days; the sun rises earlier, sets later; and it looks like the propane is going to last until the furnace gets turned off. Bring on the equinox!

Joining me in this anticipation are millions of Persians and related peoples around the world who will celebrate their new year on March 20th. Although it predates Islam, Nowruz (No rooz), the Persian New Year, is celebrated by Muslims from Turkey all the way east to India and in diaspora communities all over the planet.

Nowruz is a beautiful celebration of spring, of new life, of putting off the old and looking forward with hope to coming days. Like Easter for Christians, but without the punch of Jesus coming out of the grave. It is a time of cleaning, feasting and fellowship with family. (Tweet this.)

Watch this charming two-minute video for a look at some of the symbolism behind the haft-seen decorations, a very rough parallel to a Christmas tree.

Depending on where you live, there may be public Nowruz celebrations happening nearby you could actually go to! (Hey, Google!?)

If attending a celebration isn’t happening for you, can I invite you to join me in this: Let’s buy a hyacinth and a goldfish. (Two of the haft-seen objects) Use them to remind you to pray for Persians and others as they celebrate Nowruz. Ask God for every bit of new life he has in mind for them to be realized in this coming year.

If you do buy a goldfish, let me know. I’ll send a prize to one lucky new aquaculturist!

Last week I mentioned a new engagement tool I’m working on called, “The Muslim Connect ‘Hey there, Thank you, and You’re Welcome’ Cheat Sheet.” If you’d like to help fill in some of the languages on the cheat sheet, you’re invited to peek behind the curtain here.

Mention Girl Scouts around the U.S. this time of year and a healthy percentage of people will panic, “Is it too late to buy cookies?!?” (If you’re breathing just got rapid and shallow, do this: Go to girlscouts.org, drop in your zip code and relax. They’re still for sale near you!)

As much as I like their cookies, I want to talk about actual girls scouts this week. Particularly the fact that lots of Muslim girls are members of this most illustrious organization. I had no idea.

I read an article recently about Troop 647 in Plano, Texas. This all-Muslim troop numbers 100 scouts and meets in a mosque. After they recite the Girl Scout Promise, they together say the first chapter of the Quran, the Fatiha.

The article goes on to say, “These Scouts are part of the growing number of mosque-based troops sprouting across the nation. Although there are under 500 girls in all-Muslim troops in Northeast Texas, many more are among the 25,000 Scouts in integrated troops throughout the region’s 32 counties.”

And at a recent meeting, the all-Muslim group hosted a sister troop whose girls were working on their “Finding Common Ground” badges. Through conversation and activities, the girls gained understanding of each other and learned how to negotiate differences and compromise.

As you might guess, this has me thinking. Here are some questions that come to mind:

1. If you want to meet Muslims and you qualify to join Girls Scouts (or have little munchkins who do), you might possibly find some friends there.
2. Are all-Muslim girl scout troops a good idea? While I can see some advantages, it also raises some questions.
3. Do we really want Muslim girls to “build their confidence, develop their sense of self and celebrate who they are?” If that happens, more of them are going to run for Congress! ?