the Glocal Trekker Blog

I watched Tom Brokaw interview President Musharaff on the news the other night. He told the President the West didn’t understand how Muslims could take their offense to the cartoons and become enraged by that, but not be enraged by the riots that were leaving other Muslims dead. The President told him, it was because it was blasphemy. The reputation of the Prophet being challenged was more serious than the rioting. In the West, God has become little more than a good luck charm--in other places, He’s the center of all.

It may be hard for us to understand in the West, but they really do believe God is at the center of everything. We say the same; however, often God is the person to make my dreams come true and work for me. To them, God is God. He is at the center of everything. He must be glorified. I loved what John Piper wrote last week about "the cross was a place of insult--has been and always will be--that’s what makes Jesus unique among belief."

A few months ago I was with a Muslim King. We sat under a canopy in the hot African sun and spoke of humanity, God, brotherhood, and dozens of other things. The thing that stood out in my mind was when I asked him what mattered more to him than anything, his response was "The glory of God!" I would have thought that King had been reading John Piper! Had Piper given his talk on the glory of God and the centrality of who God was, he would have "amened" everything--until the cross.

Father--help me be able to take insults for you as a result of obedience and following you. Spirit--fill me so those times may be times of great joy and not sadness despite difficulty. Jesus--may I emulate You in how I live and exalt You in all I do.