| Ali and 'The Prophet That Still Lives' |
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I had a conversation with a six year old this week that I will never forget. Our next door neighbor was visiting the day after Christmas. He looked around our home, at the evidence of the holiday we were celebrating and began to tell me what he knew about it, from a Muslim perspective.
Suddenly, he was no longer a child. He spoke like a sage; well beyond his six years. He began reciting the stories of Abraham; Ibrahim as they call him. Gently and purposefully he outlined the story of Abraham and Isaac. Then he returned to the beginning.
Ibrahim had another son; his first son was Ishmael. He told me of Hagar and her cruel mistreatment. Thirty minutes later he was still reciting old testament stories of the prophets. His recitation was not only scripturally accurate, but it was apparent that he was excited to have learned what I know about God. His God.
It was when he began telling the story of the ‘prophet who still lives’, that I fully understood what was accomplished in his first year of schooling at the private Muslim academy that he attends. He is being raised to be ‘Jesus’ proof in a predominately Christian nation. What followed was a very compelling discussion about the ‘prophet that still lives’.
Given his complete indoctrination of the old testament prophets, I returned him to the story of Isaac, obviously one of his favorites. He understood that Isaac was to have been sacrificed on the mountain. He loved telling me the part about the ram in the thicket, so I asked him to think of that ram in a different way. The ram was a substitute, given by God to save Isaac. In that same way, I explained; God gave us his own son. This ‘prophet who still lives’, I explained, was the sacrifice God made for you and me.
He also told me that as a Muslim, they have many rules they must keep so that they will go to heaven when they die. At that point I got down on his level; looking right into the wise eyes of a six year old and planted the most intentional seed I have ever planted.
“Remember this, Ali. If there ever comes a time in your entire life that you accidently break some of those rules, you can still go to heaven. The ‘prophet that still lives’ made a way for you, just like the ram in the thicket made a way for Isaac. God knows the rules are very hard, and he wanted to make sure that even if you broke them accidently; you can still find your way to heaven. That’s why we celebrate ‘the prophet that still lives’. He is a wonderful gift from God, just like the ram that he gave to Abraham.”
So Ali has the full story now about ‘the prophet that still lives’. I cannot wait until we get to discuss Easter. I’m wondering what Ali will learn in Muslim Academy about the empty tomb. The great thing is, I know he’ll want to talk about it.
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