How do you feel about those who don’t share your faith or even your outlook? It can be a struggle to relate to those who don’t serve God and indeed chase after false gods and idols. Jesus didn’t look at those who did not believe in Him with anything but love. He wept over the lost souls in Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-42). Every soul mattered to Jesus, whether they were Jew, Gentile, or Samaritan.
In the same way, every soul must matter to us regardless of their ethnicity or religious belief system. Everyone is our neighbor and we should love them as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). Different perspectives do not call for different reactions. Our disposition should always be love, and our motivation to save them from an eternity in Hell, forever separated from their beautiful Creator.
Because of societal norms and the things we learned while growing up, it’s almost impossible to not treat someone from a different faith differently from how we treat our Christian brothers and sisters. It is only by the grace of God we have been saved and know the truth. Having been given such a blessing, it is our duty to tell others about the love of Jesus. It is our responsibility to model the love and mercy of Christ everywhere we go and to every person we meet.
Sharing the gospel with a Muslim, Jehovah’s Witness, or Hindu, intimidates many believers. They fear offending them and losing the opportunity to speak further. I submit our fear is mostly because we are unprepared to deal with or know how to engage those with different perspectives from ours. Life is not easy, and following Jesus requires we commit to His mission to save the world. That means we’re going to have to put in some work. We need to learn about other religions and cultures. That way, when we speak to them about Jesus, we will be prepared. Being a disciple of Jesus does not allow for coasting. We must do our utmost to be the best ambassadors for Christ we can.
This will not be possible without the help of the Holy Spirit. It’s not about our best intentions, it’s about our surrender. Instead of another three hours watching Netflix, we might have to pick up a book or watch a video to learn about other religions and cultures. We’re going to have to speak to them in our supermarkets and restaurants. It doesn’t have to be weird, just be friendly and kind. Be like Jesus. As you build friendships, the Lord will give you the opportunities to share Christ with them. If they share their religion with you, use it as an opening to respond in kind.
Different perspectives are all around us, but never forget, there is only one way and one truth, and that is Jesus (John 14:6). If we don’t tell them, their different perspectives will send them straight to Hell. We must do everything we can to help them avoid such a fate. You must not hide what you know. Don’t be afraid to share the news that might save their soul. While we are here, don’t mistake this world for a place to just enjoy things while they last. We have a job and a mission. Do the work and be a courageous ambassador of Christ.