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In 2006 I spent about a month-and-a-half working daily at a peace fellowship named Fellowship of Reconciliation, in Nyack, NY. It was one of the most inspiring things I have done. The fellowship is an international non-profit organization, developed in the late 1800's and has done tremendous things in the fight for peace. I volunteered there as a type of clerical assistant, and was thrilled with all the curiosities I got to sample regarding peace delegation.
Organizations like these expand their outreach to all faiths and offer training for non-violent activism. They educate people about the persecution in the world and the need for support.
I was inspired by the people who worked there and greatly moved to advocate for peace in some way. I had the blessing of a few personal conversations with one woman in particular, named Rabia. She is an Islamic peace advocate. She helped me discover the reason for the decision for a personal religion by speaking to me about her own reasons. At the time, I had no personal conviction for a faith, and I was markedly impacted by her sincerity to practice her own faith without compromise and to fight for peace for all religions.
I still think about Rabia when I hear about persecution overseas and disputes between the fanatical. And I wonder, now that I have chosen to be a missionary, how well I may do in wearing the shoes of peace.
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14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
*Romans 10:14-15
I have chosen to remember Rabia each time I encounter a person of another faith. The remembrance is always to respect other people's convictions and love them for who they are, unconditionally.
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Vindication for personal infractions may not occur in the courts, but it can occur in one decent act of kindness to someone who has been hurt in some way for their faith. Whether the person is a prisoner of religious war, suffering physically and solely for their faith, or someone who works with you and is the butt of a joke, there is always some way to act in a peace-promoting gesture. These things are vital for making a difference for a more optimistic vision and a peaceful, safe community.
When people feel that their deep needs for communication and respect are being met, they are healthier, happier and more accommodating people. The Christian minister has a special obligation to remember this in all of his or her social networking, whether he or she be an evangelist, a preacher, or serves in another role. The secular mind has a special duty to remember religious thought in all his or her intellectual discoveries with respect and understanding. Everyone has a burden to bear and can make a huge impact in the realization of the vision of peace.
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