Vision from the Vantage Point of the “Other”

I recently read an op-ed from award-winning New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman. Mr. Friedman writes with penetrating insight as he relates to his reader that many in the Arab world have been influenced by what he calls “the narrative.” Here is his definition of this narrative which has affected much of the Arab and even the Muslim world:

“The Narrative is the cocktail of half-truths, propaganda and outright lies about America that have taken hold in the Arab-Muslim world since 9/11. Propagated by jihadist Web sites, mosque preachers, Arab intellectuals, satellite news stations and books — and tacitly endorsed by some Arab regimes — this narrative posits that America has declared war on Islam, as part of a grand ‘American-Crusader-Zionist conspiracy’ to keep Muslims down.” (Thomas L. Friedman: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/opinion/29friedman.html?_r=2&em)

In reading Mr. Friedman’s essay, I found myself nodding in agreement with his prognosis of this core defect in the Muslim world. This deceptive narrative forms an extensive web that has ensnared many in a self-perpetuating cycle of resentment towards the United States and other Western countries. While living in the Middle East I heard the narrative and I observed its impact in my travels to Muslim countries.

However, there is more to the story. Let’s call it a little lesson in “self-awareness.” Very simply, everyone lives out of some narrative. This is not a defect which is unique to the Muslim world but a reality common to all people and places. Every person on the face of the planet has a way of understanding the world, a worldview, if you will, that governs his or her interpretation of the surrounding world. I certainly do. I became much more aware of my narrative through my interaction with Muslim people. Self-awareness grows as we listen deeply to people with narratives different from our own. We become aware that our narrative has been fed by a wide array of social circumstances, religious convictions and cultural preferences. In fact, I would say that my narrative was a “cocktail of half-truths, propaganda and outright lies.” By intersecting with those whose narrative is vastly different from ours, our own narrative is refined.

Christ-followers should have little difficulty understanding that our narrative has been fed and influenced by false thinking. The pervasive effects of alienation from God (i.e. sin) continue to influence our thinking, feeling and acting. We need look no further than our interactions with those closest to us—family members—to see that we are still plagued by self-centeredness and self-preservation. If we are serious about following Christ, it won’t take long to understand that our narrative needs massive renovation if we are to be “conformed to the image of Christ.”

My plea is that we, as Christ-followers, would lead the way in seeking to understand the narrative of the Muslim peoples of the world. I suggest that rather than attempt to debunk it or critique it we simply listen to it deeply and empathetically. Some will read those lines and assume that I am asking them to “sell out” on their convictions. No. I am asking that we do exactly what Jesus asked the disciples to do in Samaria…to lift up their eyes…to get a new vision.

Yes, Muslim peoples are often (not always) quite suspicious of the intentions of the US to establish democracies in the Middle East or set up free market economies. They suspect that our real motivation is self-interest and a desire to secure our collective national interests. Are there reasons for their suspicion? Are there valid reasons why Muslims would feel that way about the US and the current military interventions in the world? In my opinion, one can honestly ask that question whether one is for or against those military interventions. The only requirement is the humility to attempt to see from the perspective of the other…in a word, to honor the other.

And why should Christ-followers lead the way in this refinement of narrative? Because our vital interests are not in military campaigns or economic systems. Our vital interests are in the Kingdom of Christ. Being conformed to the image of Christ is the transfer of our vital interests from ourselves and our false “saviors” to Him. If we fail to refine our own narrative, we will speak and live out of a false narrative—a self-centered one, the narrative we’ve imbibed from our culture. Seeking a Kingdom narrative requires a tenacious pursuit of Jesus’ motivations and values in a world that is running headlong in the opposite direction.

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit but in humility consider others more significant than yourselves.” (Phil 2:3)