What I Learned Sitting Beside A Muslim On An Airplane For Two Hours
January 27, 2013 
10 Comments
This past week I was flying to Houston, TX. Normally when I fly I just like to read or catch up on work. I rarely if ever speak to who I am sitting next to. I really don’t know why. I just don’t. My plan for this flight was to be no different.
As we taxied down the runway, a delightful young woman seated next to me began a conversation. Here is how it went:
She said, “Do you live in Houston?”
“No, I live in Atlanta. I am just connecting there on my way to Dallas.”
“What are you doing in Dallas?”
“I’m just working a conference.”
“What type of conference?”
“Well, I’m working with pastors.”
“Really, what kind of pastors?” (Interesting question. Now my interest was beginning to peak.)
“Evangelical ones. Baptist, Methodist, Non-denominational, Lutheran. People like that. Do you live in Houston?”
“No, I live in Atlanta. I’m just going there for a job interview.” Then she said, “Can I ask you question?”
“Sure.”
“So Christians believe Jesus is the end-all. Is that right?” At this point, I closed up on my book and placed it in the seatback in front of me.
After several minutes of conversation about relationships and faith, she graciously said, “Are these questions making you uncomfortable? I can stop if you want me to.”
“No, this conversation is actually quite refreshing.”
Over the next two hours, I talked more about the person of Jesus with a stranger than I have in years. The following are several things I remember most about my conversation with this young lady:
- I’m a Christian. She’s a Muslim who is dating a Christian. We discussed the challenges of inter-faith dating. They pray together often.
- I’m in my mid-40s. She’s in her mid-20s. Her culture teaches her to deeply respect patriarchal hierarchy. She kept calling me “Sir”.
- I’m white. Very white. She’s not.
- I’m a church consultant. She’s a doctor.
- I like things peaceful and calm. She thrives in trauma and chaos.
- I have a wonderful marriage of 22 years. When she one day marries, she wants it to be wonderfully successful as well. She asked me what I thought the secret to a long, happy marriage was. I told her it was not love, respect, or trust. Those things are definitely important but the secret to a successful marriage is a person, Jesus Christ.
- She LOVES Joel Osteen. Fascinating.
- We talked a lot about Jesus, the Trinity, and Jesus as a teacher.
- We talked about the Iranian culture and her time living there. We talked about President Ahmadinejad and country’s views on women, Jews, and Christians. Her perspectives were quite interesting.
- My wife is a stay-at-home mom. So is her mom.
- We both come from middle-class families.
- At one point she said, “Brian, if working in a trauma unit has taught me anything, it is that everybody dies. So live your life.” Wow!
After much conversation, we decided that though we were quite different, we are also very similar. As doctors and church consultants, we both lived our lives for the purpose of improving the quality of life for other people.
We also want to have happy marriages, raise great kids, take care of aging parents, live a joy-filled life, have successful careers, and make a signifcant contribution to society.
Our conversation was very relaxed, non-judgemental, and based on mutual respect. I was humbled by the fact that it was a Muslim who initiated a conversation with me, a Christian, about spiritual matters. We also commented on how we wish government officials could talk like we did – with respect and finding common ground in the midst of our differences.
As it came time to exit the airplane and go our separate ways, I told her I would pray for her job interview. She smiled and said, “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
I have no doubt she is a PHENOMENAL doctor serving in the ER or trauma ward. She told me she felt her strength as a physician was her bedside manner because she genuinely cares about people. I could see that. Who knows, she could possibly one day save my life or someone I love.
Here is what I also know – by closing up my book and having a genuine conversation based upon respect with someone who is different from me, I learned far more than I ever could have reading for those two hours.
Perhaps some of you need to put down your proverbial books and start a conversation with somone different from you as well.
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Brian, awesome post. I look forward these types of conversations. What I took out of it was that she didn’t try to convert you to Islam or vice-versa. It appears that a seed has already been planted in her heart about Jesus: she has a Christian boyfriend, loves Joel Osteen, then she ran into you. There is no coincidence.
Juan,
Thank you for the comments and it’s great to hear from you again. It truly was the best conversation I have had in a long time. And I agree with you, there are no coincendences.
Brian
Here’s what jumped off the page and into my face:
“…by closing up my book and having a genuine conversation based upon respect with someone who is different from me, I learned far more than I ever could have reading for those two hours.”
This was an inspiring conversation from the little that you share with us. I have been in many such conversations about Jesus and different faith. I am reading Right from Wrong, Evidence that demands a virdict, A case for Christ, Jesus among other Gods. Thanks for sharing your conversation Brian.
So cool Brian. It’s amazing what happens when we take the time to have a real conversation and get out of our own world. Reminds me of Matthew West’s song Population Me.
In my travels, I always love to talk about my faith in Jesus. It makes the travelling very pleasant & joyful.
Your conversation was very meaningful. I’m pretty sure she will be converted into the Christian faith someday especially if her boyfriend encourages a lot of their praying together. She sounds a very caring young woman. It was wonderful of you to have taken the time to open the conversation. Stay blessed.
Brillant!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Brian, thanks for sharing with us the conversation, I hope in any of your article you can give us a techniques on how braking silence when traveling we in third world countries we travel more than fourteen ours by bus and we don’t share and telling our neighbors about our Jesus.
Stephen From Tanzania
Amazing post Brian! I loved that. I read this post yesterday:
LGBT Activist Shane L. Windmeyer “My Coming Out as a Friend of Dan Cathy and Chick-fil-A” http://buff.ly/UyFwMY
You’re post had some common threads of mutual respect and appreciation despite differences in perspective.
Loved your story!
Samson, you are one of my favorite people! Thank you for your comments, and for that matter, everone else in this comment thread. It was great experience for me and God taught me a lot on this plane ride. I was honored to share this story and am humbled it blessed so many people.
Samson, I hope you are doing well and look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Brian