4 Reflections on the Syrian Refugee Crisis
3. Muslim nations must step up their sponsorship of Muslim refugees.
It is true that countries like Lebanon (which is predominantly Muslim) are bursting at the seams as Syrian refugees pour into their small territory, while countries like Iraq have become home to massive tent cities consisting of both Christian and Muslim refugees.
But there is no reason why the oil rich Muslim nations in the Middle East can't do more to help their own people, by which I mean people of the same ethnicity (Arab), religion (Muslim), and language (Arabic).
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While Saudi Arabia claims that it has taken in 2.5 million Syrian refugees, other Gulf State nations have been criticized for allegedly taking in none. Can this be right? And is it fair that so much pressure is being put on the West to sponsor refugees while some of Syria's closer neighbors barely lift a finger?
4. We must guard our hearts against unchristlike attitudes.
On a regular basis, I speak against the evils of radical Islam, and I plan to continue to do so. At the same time, I always call for prayer for all Muslims — including radical, murderous Muslims — believing that Jesus died for them as well and that all of them are loved by God.
And so, while I want to see ISIS destroyed, I want to see individual members of ISIS come to faith and find mercy and repentance. I also want to remember that, while some Syrian refugees are bringing terrorism with them, the great majority are fleeing from that very terror.
Yesterday, a colleague sent me a short audio message preached a few years ago by one of the graduates from our ministry school, FIRE School of Ministry. He was back in the States while taking a short break from his mission's work in a very dangerous part of the Muslim world.
He mentioned that yes, groups like Al-Qaeda were wreaking murderous havoc there, but he was shocked to come back home and find Christians demonizing Muslims and portraying them all as killers. Worse still, he found Christians who exhibited hatred rather than love towards Muslims.
What made his message all the more profound is that, not long after delivering that word, he was gunned down in cold blood by Al-Qaeda terrorists after returning to serve the Muslims in that very dangerous land.
But there's more to the story. The day after his assassination, there was a large protest march in his home city, with devout Muslim men and women walking side by side, holding up his picture, carrying messages of love, and denouncing Al-Qaeda for killing this fine Christian man. And they wanted the world to know that Al-Qaeda did not represent them as Muslims.
I believe this young martyr would implore us today to love these lost Muslims just as the Lord loved us when we were lost in darkness.
In sum, our government must act wisely, refusing to make hasty, potentially dangerous decisions. At the same time, believers must rise to the occasion, as we have done so many times before, demonstrating to the whole world what the love of Jesus looks like in living color.
Do you agree?
