In yesterday’s New York Times Magazine was a short story written by a Muslim Iraqi who was held hostage for several weeks in 2004. He was captured, along with two Italians, at the Italian office of a humanitarian organization. They were helping to rebuild schools, water-treatment plants and hospitals.
To me, in many ways this story sounds like others: Iraqi national kidnapped and tortured because he is working with the Westerners, which must mean (according to his captors) he is working against Islam. If he isn’t working against Islam, then he must be working against the Sunnis or the Shi’ites. Whatever, it is all bad. This guy, along with many other hostages, is definitely behind the eight-ball.
But this isn't only a story about being captured, tortured, released.
This fellow, Raad Ali Abdulaziz, states right up front that all he wanted to do was make a difference. His chosen path was through a job as an engineer, to help build/rebuild the infrastructure of his native country.
I wonder how many of us feel that compelling desire in our daily work, that yearning to help humanity in some way? From moving pebbles to mountains, it is all important – and most certainly needed, wherever we are and whatever career path we have chosen.
When Raad is challenged as to which side he is on – Sunni or Shi’ite – he says he is a Muslim who doesn’t believe in breaking up Islam that way...he might as well have said he didn’t believe in breaking up God that way.
The experience – and the two years following as he and his family left everything behind in Iraq to start over in Europe – are still painful to Raad. But he says that there is a memory that transcends all of it: during the most critical moments he had a “strange feeling” and that something told him that he would not die because he had an unfinished task.
To rebuild by being a better engineer? No, something even better.
Raad wants to work to make his voice louder than the voice of those who order Muslims to fight all infidels – those who do not believe in Islam. “This,” says Raad, “cannot be God’s way.”
I believe that what Raad heard in his deepest, darkest moments – and still hears – is what the Bible refers to as “the still, small voice” of God. This voice urges all of His children to do good for each other, to build – not destroy, to heal pain – not inflict, and to take a stand against the forces of destruction.
Are we listening like Raad is? Every day this voice speaks, urging each of us to make choices based on love and compassion for one another. Yes, this is the Golden Rule operating, sustaining, fulfilling.
For most of us, our daily choices are not global decisions, but they most certainly have an impact in our personal world, whether it is work, family or community.
Let’s each of us make our way one of love, hope, healing. This is God’s way.
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