Have you met my crazy friend, Jack? Rides in lots of taxis. Has a passion for witnessing to Muslims. He told me about his latest encounter.
Jack was in downtown Chicago last week and hopped into a cab driven by a Somalian named Ahmed. At first the conversation was lighthearted. Ahmed (not his real name) asked Jack if he had traveled to Africa, which Jack has done, and this seemed to impress Ahmed.
The two of them talked about the current instability in Somalia and Ahmed offered his “hope” that someday Somalia would get turned around. Naturally, Jack seconded that wish, picking up on Ahmed's use of the word, hope. Jack smiled and said, “I know the God of hope.”
Ahmed was intrigued. “Do you mean Nelson Mandela? He was a man of hope.”
“No. I mean Jesus Christ.”
“Oh, so you are a Christian.”
“I am a follower of Christ. Because of that I know for sure I am going to heaven. Some people only hope they are.”
“I only hope,” admitted Ahmed. “I am Muslim.”
Yet Ahmed was quick to suggest to Jack that Christians and Muslims “worship the same God.” Jack wasn't buying: “I don't think so. My God has a Son, Jesus Christ, who claimed to be equal with God—claimed He was God. That's why he was killed on the cross.”
“But we believe in the same God,” insisted Ahmed. More dialogue as the cab wove its way down LaSalle Boulevard.
All too soon the ride came to an end. That's when Jack offered to pray for Ahmed, who had one last question: “Are you going to pray to the real God?”
Jack assured him that he would. They prayed, with Jack ending his prayer (mostly a blessing on Ahmed's taxi business) asking that “Ahmed would come to know Isa (Jesus) as He revealed Himself in the Scriptures.” With that, Jack tipped the driver generously and stepped out into the noise that is Chicago.