I was in the Old City of Jerusalem on Tuesday when the latest riots broke out. Days like these always serve as a reality check. I was interviewing Christian Arabs for an upcoming article. I was quite safe. Except for the added police force at Jaffa gate, and the abnormally quiet markets, I felt no difference in the Christian Quarter of the Old City. The focus of the riots has been around the Temple Mount and in the Muslim quarter. After Friday prayers, many young Palestinian men began throwing rocks down from the Temple Mount and Israeli security forces intervened. The situation got progressively tense as Israel closed the Temple Mount to all tourists and the mosque to worshipers under 50. On Tuesday clashes broke out. Things are now quiet again and the mosque and Temple Mount reopened to all.

On Tuesday I was close to the area, but far enough that I felt no fear. I did, however, leave the area and my interviews with a renewed realization that I am living and working in an intense conflict region. While I do have strong and well defined political views, I would like to share something much more critical to the situation in my estimation. That is, how do we Christians relate on a personal level to the people behind the conflict? Though I am no scholar or teacher of the Bible, I have a few insights as a Christian living in Israel that I would like to share with you. There are some Biblical principles that help guide me as I navigate the intense situation here that directly affects every relationship.

One of the greatest failings I see among some Christians in how they relate to the Middle East conflict is that as they begin to identify with one group, they often begin to despise the other. There are those who sympathize with the Arab Palestinians and refer to Israelis as barbarians. One friend told me that she "doesn't have a sympathetic bone in her body for any Israeli." She is a Christian friend I met in a Christian university program. She had several biblical references on "justice" that she used to fuel her palpable anger and fury at all Israeli citizen.

On the other hand there are Christians who identify with the Jewish nation but have angry undertones as they refer to Arabs in generalities and link them automatically to terrorism and thus feel justified to direct their anger toward them as a whole. I heard one person claim Arabs to be cursed of God.

I am not saying that it is wrong to have a political view on the subject and even to work hard to advance the cause you feel is just and right. I personally believe Israel has every right to the land from a secular, political perspective as well as from a Biblical point of view. I think that Arab nations are abusing their Palestinian brothers and using them as human weapons of suffering in a war of attrition against Israel. That is my view of the political situation. But every political situation is made up of individuals, many of whom have very little say or impact in what their government decides to do.

As Christians, our greatest responsibility is to love. Jesus said that you will know my disciples by their love. I Corinthians 13 lists that many gifts of the Spirit but concludes with "the greatest of these is love." Earlier in the passage is says "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." Love should not be confused with condoning unjust behavior. However, is it not possible to confront behavior without despising and hating the person?  

I am married to an Israeli and will some day become a citizen of the country as well. I love the nation of Israel for so many reasons. It is a land of religious and cultural freedom. In fact in my interview with one of the Christian Arabs in the Old City, I cannot mention his name, he told me that many Christian Palestinians are fleeing the West Bank areas under the control of the Palestinian Authority because of religious persecution. Where are they going? Would you believe Jerusalem? He told me that they are safe under Israeli rule, but their lives are endangered in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Last year a Christian Arab in Gaza was beheaded for having a Bible Study in his home. Many more are persecuted and threatened.

I also meet with other Christian Arabs who are opposed to Israel on several levels and issues. They are often even skeptical of the organization where I work, which publicly expresses support for the nation of Israel. But when they see that I can support Israel and still offer to bring a group to clean their community center or pick up trash in their neighborhood, they look at me with an incredulous smile and are willing to accept our gestures of love. One of my favorite things I help to plan - among many other projects directed to the Jews, Arabs, Sudanese refugees, etc - are day camps for Arab children in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is an amazing time to reach out and love both Christian and Muslim Arab children. (Photos below are from Grafted ICEJ outreaches in the Old City)

People do not have to give up their views in order to love. I think this is, at times, our sticking point as humans. We have a tendency to think people must agree with us in order to receive our love. Or we think we must condone all things in order to love all people. It is possible to walk as Jesus walked. He held to every standard of the law and yet there was not one person he did not love.

John 3:16 says for God so loved the world that he gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not parish but have eternal life."

God's gift through Jesus Christ is for All the world. It transcends race, culture and creed. He is the maker and sustainer of the world, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and His gift of love is for all people and not one person is beyond His touch.

I do believe God has ordained governments and leaders to establish standards of justice and even engage in wars to confront injustice when necessary. But we as individuals, we must never hate or despise, any person or group of people. I think we all know this, but we must test even our most subtle inclinations. Personally, I know I need to grow in many areas in my own life and to love beyond all boundaries. It is not easy. We must not love from our own strength, but rather let the perfect love of God flow through us. We must be God's ministers of love until the day He comes to establish His rule of peace and justice in the world as the prophet Isaiah spoke of, when "swords will be beaten into plowshares."

There are mighty forces and ideologies at work in the world, but none greater than love. I leave you with a portion of a song that has been my guide since I decided to come and live and work in Israel. It is entitled "Instruments of Peace". I often refer back to it on difficult days when the situation here seems so complicated and wearisome and I realize that what lies within me will never be enough. I am but an instrument in the hands of God. We are totally reliant on His love, His peace and His light.

Where there is hatred, we will show His love
Where there is injury, we will never judge
Where there is striving, we will speak His peace
To the millions crying for release,
We will be His instruments of peace...

Where there is blindness, we will pray for sight
where there is darkness, we will shine His light
Where there is sadness, we will bear their grief
To the millions crying for relief,
We will be Your instruments of peace.