HOW DINNER IN EALING COULD CHANGE THE MIDDLE EAST
Interpretation is a skill I could have done with on my recent holiday, and it's something that significantly influences the world today.
We recently went on our first family holiday abroad – to France.
France has lovely weather, beautiful countryside, delicious food…and a language that I don’t understand.
I never did French at school, so I used up pretty much my entire vocabulary by the time we’d shown our passports.
Swapping between languages can be fun (like listening to French songs written in English – the music’s fine but the words are appalling!) and very frustrating.
Interpretation is clearly a skill, and it’s something that’s very relevant to the modern world. The Middle East has been dreadfully affected over the last few years by an interpretation of Islam that is entirely different from the interpretations practiced by my Muslim friends. The same could be said of those who interpreted Christianity in such a way as to justify the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition, or those who interpreted atheism in such a way as to justify persecuting the Jews under Nazi Germany or the Chinese under Chairman Mao.
Please don’t interpret that to mean that I’m criticising Islam, Christianity or atheism – I’m not. The point I’m making is that the way we interpret something can be as important as the thing itself. The desperately horrifying actions of so-called Islamic State would be no less horrifying if Islam were true.
In all these challenges, surely the best thought we can take away is that understanding one another better is categorically a Good Thing.
So I wonder if I could invite you out for dinner, to do exactly that. I’m doing something called Alpha, where I’d love to share a bit about what Christianity means for me, and I’d love to hear what your faith means for you.
Sign up here, and we can interpret life together.
You can find out more about Alpha here.
OPEN UP OPPORTUNITIES BY SLOWING DOWN
We think faster than we talk, which is a great advantage sometimes. But if we are not careful it can be a handicap when spending time with friends
X-Men Apocalypse was an OK movie. Not up there with Marvel's best, but entertaining all the same. The most memorable scene for me was Quicksilver moving faster than thought to rescue the students at a school while an explosion 'slowly' expands to engulf them.
Quicksilver is quick, but from his perspective he has plenty of time - real time appears to slow to a crawl.
We can't compete with his physical speed, but our minds can.
We think faster than we talk, which is a great advantage when studying, negotiating, planning etc. But if we are not careful it can be a handicap when spending time with friends.
When we are in conversation with someone, it's too easy for our thoughts to jump ahead of what they're saying. We miss out on what they are actually telling us about themselves and about what is important to them. This is particularly evident from the questions we ask.
We tend to ask closed questions, which invite a simple answer. When you ask, “Did you spend childhood holidays in the UK?" you're not asking them about their holidays, you're telling them to confirm what is in your mind.
If we slow down a little and actively listen, we'll learn so much more.
Open questions are much harder, but invite a more involved answer on their agenda. “What about childhood holidays sticks in your memory?”
We fall into the same trap when thinking about Jesus or reading well-worn Bible narratives. We can be quick to assume rather than explore.
A simple example is assuming that three wise men visited Bethlehem, because they brought three gifts. But the narrative doesn't tell us that. There may have been a horde of wise men, or only two.
More importantly, we may assume that following Jesus is a chore, but if you ask folk at Redeemer they will tell a different story. It's natural to superimpose our preconceptions on God and make assumptions based on those preconceptions. We ask questions of God with an expectation of what the answer will be, rather than open our minds to explore alternatives outside our expectations.
So, I have two challenges for you.
- Next time you are catching up with a friend, actively listen. Slow down and explore what they are sharing with you. You'll soon build a stronger friendship.
- Push aside your preconceptions about Jesus and explore what he has to say. If you do, you'll quickly discover someone surprising.
You can do both of these over a meal in a restaurant this Tuesday.
Redeemer will pay.
Redeemer is hosting 'Christianity Explored', an opportunity to ask some really searching questions.
Quick, email hello@redeemerlondon.org to get the details!