RECOGNIZING A READY HEART

Everybody here lies. There is the culture of selfishness. The prevailing culture is outsmarting the other guy to get a better vantage point.

Rudh has struggled lately, since she got this contract. What was the source of envy for her friends and colleagues and from everyone has turned into a nightmare. Many times she has regretted ever getting the contract in the first place.

That her friends lied about being happy for her is not strange, everyone does that. What was strange was their daring effort to sabotage her. The plant false stories, spread false rumours and keep valuable info from her that could make her job and life easier.

There are no reliable friends here. What everyone accepts is, there are no permanent friends but permanent interests. Get what you knew at all cost, trample on anyone, step on any toe, backstab anyone standing on your way, fall and get up, whatever you do, get your plans done or end up trying.

The cloud of mistrust, of self-centeredness, of personal ambition and dirty politics is heavy here. It is a dangerous jungle and only the subtle and brave survive.

The heart of man is rotten. 

Rudh admits her guilt. She can hide some of her dirty linens but not all. Her current job came that way. And thought she couldn't snatch Zima's husband, she ended their marriage. She considered that some success.

Lawlessness has a temporary gain. Or at least, i guess. My understanding of liberty is the freedom to do what i want. The politicians call it liberty. The feminists self worth. The psychologists call it self-actualization and liberal call it progress

I hate laws. Law is prison.

I want to do as I please, go where I want, eat what i want, love who i want and do with my life as i please.

I may be selfish, but hey, all the law says i am. Without any law, i am free.

The inner hunger in man
This is inspired from the tales of the Éthiopian eunuch in Acts 8.

Khandis was brought up a muslim. Her parents are devouted Muslims. They endeavor to follow the teachings of the prophet Mohammed to the letter. Praying five times a day is not only a tradition, not praying five times is a high treason.

Khandis has two other siblings and she is the middle child. Between childhood and teenage their parents enforced the teaching of Islam in them not only because its the only thing the believe but to save the family honour and make their parents proud.

Between that period, they strictly socialized with Muslim kids only. They attended schools that learned Islamic and tried to make them understand that there is everything a kid will need in Islam.

They knew that after teenage, they can't hold them down anymore. Khandis, their second daughter seem to have some doubts and is difficult to fall in line. She has a curiosity that is not appropriate in Islam. Islam means unquestionable submission. She likes to question all things.

She embarrassed her parents in front the guest of high Islamic scholars who visited their home during Ramadan, to break the fast. It was no small dishonour. Without permission she question why Islam brought to much bloodshed.

Her mum wished to disappear knowing well that her husband will blame her for her daughter's disgrace. After the guest left, Khandis' punishments where clear cut. More scars on her bare back, staying indoors for week, no watching television for a month and no contact with the internet especially socially media for a month.

However, her curiosity only grew. She just wondered the more, what are they hiding? And her father is willing, in fact, ready to behead her, strangle her, hang her or pour acids on her, any that pain more, rather than let any of his child humiliate the family in apostasy.

As for Khandis, she was growing disenchanted with Islam. She had more doubts by the day although she attended mosque and prayed five times daily. Deep inside, it was just a routine babbling with mere empty ritual.

As she gained admission into the university, she found a new freedom. She keep her doubts to herself but lost interest on campus.

After the first semester a lot has change. She mixed with students from different faiths and even those who had no faith. Back home for the vacation, the moved to a new house.

As they cleaned the new house she found a page from a torn Bible and she sat down to read. She has seen Christian girls in school, although she loved their freedom, she never thought of becoming one. Some were bad kids and others were really good kids.

A few verses she read from the torn page of the Bible would not leave her mind.
"17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed."

She knew it was the Bible because she had been taught to hate Christians for claiming Jesus was the son of God. But while she walked, ate or studied, for the next three months she spent sleepless night wondering what those words meant. Are they taking about her?

And she knew the Muslims would not want their deeds exposed.

She went for a lecture one morning not knowing it was canceled. Ironically, she met Ladiha, a Christian course mate.

'Do you have a Bible?" She asked. Ladiha knows Khandis was a Muslim, she wear a veil on campus, its obvious.

'Yes, of Course, on my phone." Ladiha answer. Khandis ask, "Can you do me a favour? Find this for me.' Bringing out the torn page she kept for four months now.

Ladiha immediately sense, she just met a hungry seeker. Hungry she was! Ladiha took her through the Scriptures, fed her with the gospel like a very hungry infant. In a few minutes, the two of them on the sports courts away from campus madness they shared and shared.

Khandis' heart melted.

For almost two hours her tears have been flowing as Ladiha's explanation peeled layers upon layers of lies that Khandis has been fed with by her parents and her Islamic teachers about Christ, the Christian faith and Christians. For the first time she felt light.

She was ready now not just ready to receive Christ, but to die for this light. She thought about her dad, who was willing to kill her, but she is willing to die for her new found faith.

She will forget her father, and for now, rejoice in her new life in Jesus Christ.

Thanks,
David Pam McQuel