My Aunt Carol is a nurse and all the nurseypooh’s wear little pins on their shirts when a holiday is near. At the time of this story, it was nearly Easter, so the nurses were wearing pins for that season. Some had eggs, some had bunnies etc., but my Aunt Carol was wearing Star of David and Passover pins. That day a Muslim lady approached her and said “your pins offend me.” My aunt said that she was sorry but her pins should not offend her (the Muslim lady), because her burkha did not offend her (my aunt). My aunt was very nice.
So later on, the Muslim lady approached my aunt again and said “I just have to tell you that your pins offend me and I want you to take them off.” My aunt said “I don’t understand why they would offend you – I’m not offended by your dress.” Then the Muslim lady spoke with a superior there, who later went to my aunt and asked her to take off her pins. My aunt (still being nice) said something like, “I’ll take off my Passover and Star of David pins if you take off your Easter pins, and so-and-so takes off her bunny pins, and the Muslim lady takes off her veil”. The woman said they wouldn’t do that, so my aunt said she would not either. The other woman said that the Muslim lady will probably go to their boss to discuss this and that she should go as well.
So, later that day, my aunt went to her boss and told him the story, and standing behind her was the Muslim lady who reiterated what she said earlier. The boss didn’t know what to do – he was stuck in a hard place.
Here’s the neato part….My aunt said (paraphrased)…”I’m not offended by your dress and my pins are not meant to offend you. My God says I have to love you and love my enemies. You are not my enemy but I am to love you. So in obedience to Him, and to prevent Mr.(so-andso) from making a tough decision, if you REALLY want me to remove them, I will.” The stunned Muslim paused and said “No, that’s ok” and walked out.
Talk about love!!! Whew!!! My aunt really showed what it’s like to be righteous in the way she handled the situation! I think that’s great – there was a time that I probably would have thought of some snappy comebacks or pulled out the charts and graphs, or even gotten the ACLJ involved (hahaha). But now, I know that her way (God’s way really) is MUCH better, because it is totally in line with the Torah!!!!!
What a great testimony and example! It is true freedom when you can stand up for what you believe, but are willing to lay it aside out of love for another person. That is what befuddles the world… our love for Yahveh and His ways expressed in our love for others above ourselves.
I know what you mean about the snappy comebacks. I can come up with some doozies, but I know that is not walking in the holiness to which we have been called. Praise Yeshua that I am learning to put my flesh under and walk in love in my responses… it always has a much better result than when I give into the desires of my flesh. Go figure…