Love!

I just attended a very interesting lecture given by Professor Charles Amjad Ali, Martin Luther King Professor of Justice and Christian Community at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Professor Amjad gave his lecture about the relationships between Muslims and Christians. He began by explaining that this topic has become one which causes immediate discomfort and fear. People are scared of Islam. Becuase of this fear, Christians often act in a hatful way toward Muslims.

Professor Amjad said, "As a Christian, I don't have the privilege to hate." Because I identify with the Christian faith, this lecture was very thought-provoking and meaningful to me. We often, as mere human beings, think of ourselves as higher or better than other people. Yet who has given us that right?

He also said, "For me not to love is to negate the cross." As a follower of Christ, when I'm not loving others I am denying that Christ ever loved me. We often become so self-centered that we forget about loving others deeply. I don't think it matters what a person's motivation for loving is. What matters is whether or not we are showing love toward others.
As I write this post, I'm trying to find a way in which this lecture can relate to principles of education. It is human nature to be selfish and to put blame on others. So my hope is that no matter what religious setting I am teaching in, I can instill a concept of selflessness on my students. I think they will be better human beings if they can learn how to truly love the people around them.