Doing life together.

"The Lord had said to Abram (Abraham), "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing."
Genesis 12:1-2

Abraham was given a great promise in Genesis 12. God told Abraham that his descendants would become a blessed nation and live in a blessed land. And through Abrahams' son, Isaac, that promise was fulfilled.

However, Abraham had another son named Ishmael who was not an heir to that promise. One son benefited from the promise, the other did not. Needless to say, that caused some tension.

The conflict in Israel between the Arab nations and the Israelites has biblical origins. Ishmael's descendents became the Arab nations. Isaac's decedents became Israel. And just as prophesied in Genesis 25:18, the hostility continues today.

In today's world (especially in America), we have a hard time understanding why that conflict can't be resolved. For us, the solution is as easy as drawing a few lines on a map. But it's much deeper than that. It takes a much more thorough understanding of the origin of the conflict.

If we want to share the truth about Jesus Christ with others, especially where there is long-standing tension and hostility, it requires more than just drawing lines. It requires taking the step of understanding. Because for someone to hear you, they must first be willing to listen. And for them to be willing to listen, you and I must first show them that we are willing to understand where they come from.