Deep Conversations

"In this story, as in many other conversations in the gospels, we can see Jesus listening and responding, asking questions and answering questions- and then letting the people he's talking with decide in their own mind what they believed. All of this underscores how integral conversation and dialogue were to Jesus, to his character and to the way he lived on earth."
 This passage from professor Corrigan's One of the Main Things Jesus Did Was Have Deep Conversations notes, brings out a quality I have seen in my closest friend Ron. As Christ-followers "we can consider Jesus as a preeminent example for practicing dialogue and conversation in teaching, learning, and living." Ron, my closest friend does just what Corrigan said we can do, as we strive to be like Jesus in everything we do.
     It was a warm night in September in Orlando, Florida. I had driven up after my classes that Thursday to be with Ron and see his family. His family had been granted, by the make a wish foundation, a wish to go to Disney World. The first thing Ron did that exemplified Jesus was his act of taking time away from his family to be with me. He gave me a golf lesson at a near by driving range to get me ready for the first golf tournament of the year. After this he treated me to dinner at a fantastic pizza place called Giordano's. After we ate our meat lovers supreme pizza, Ron and I went on an errand to pick up swim floaties for his 3 daughters.
   This is part of the night where Ron engages what Professor Corrigan talks about, in his notes concerning the story of Jesus and the two men on the road to Emmaus. The check out attendant at the store was a Muslim women. We could tell by the way she greeted the people in line in front of us and by her facial expressions when she saw us, that she had put up a shield towards Americans. Maybe many Americans had despised her because she was Muslim after the 9/11 attack. She was dressed in the traditional Muslim attire and had the cold impermeable stare on her face when Ron placed the swim floaties on the counter. Ron, who is always aware of the Holy Spirit, models Jesus and the conversation he had with the two men in Luke 24. The Holy Spirit softened her heart and the opportunity came for Ron to model Jesus when she asked him about the swim floaties. From then, Ron answers her questions about what he does, what his parents do and somewhere in between he asks her about her homeland and if she missed her family. He even makes a remark about American culture compared to other cultures around the world. "Other cultures are have deep roots, but in America there is not a lot of appreciation for traditions or heritage because it is a diverse country made up of many nations." Now of course Ron knows that the Muslim religion and way of life has deep traditions and heritage. What he was doing when he told her this, in response to one of her questions, was acknowledge and honor her religion. He made her feel welcomed to America, and loved. She soon figured out that Ron was a missionary because of the questions that she asked about his occupation. But Ron never came out and said, "I am a missionary." He answered her questions with respect towards her country and religion. from the beginning of the conversation to the end, the countenance of her faced changed from solemn and defensive to appreciative and respectful.
     Even though Ron did not get the chance to witness to her, he planted a seed in her heart to maybe one day accept the same faith that Ron displayed he had. Later on that night Ron told me that many unbelievers look at Christianity as a hypocritical religion. One that does not do anything for other people of other religions. Ron showed respect and love to her religion and people by being passive and humble in his approach of living as a Christ-follower. Who knows, maybe because Ron did not force his religion on her, her heart will be more susceptible to God.