If I could speak the Qur'anic Arabic tongue like an Arab Muslim, and like the angels of Paradise, but have not love, I am only like the Arabic adhan piercing into the ears of a reserved Englishman.
If I had the gift of foretelling one's qismat, and if I could fathom fully the mystery of predestination and all the knowledge of the religious mystics, and if I had the faith to cast out the jinn from a soul possessed, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I were to give ten times the amount of zakat for the poor, and surrender my body to the sword of martyrdom, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy a fellow missionary's success story among Muslims. Nor does it boast about its own number of baptized believers. It is not proud to admit deficiencies and shortcomings among its own ranks. It is not rude when approached by aggressive Muslim missionaries who likewise pursue a religious agenda. It is not easily angered by the constant bombardment of objections and insults against the Christian faith by well-trained Islamic apologists. It keeps no record of wrongdoing in regard to historical Muslim-Christian relations and terrorist acts carried out in the name of Islam.
Love does not delight in evil and harm that erupts in Muslim lands as a result of natural disasters and wars. Rather, love rejoices in the truth that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, even if the one calling is a Muslim.
Love always protects the identity and testimony of the sincere Muslim seeker. Love always trust in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, regardless of how many days, months, or years may be required. Love always hopes in the mercy of God, even for the hardest of the fundamentalist Muslims.
Love always perseveres no matter how discouraging the prospects of Muslim evangelism may appear. Love never fails.
As hard as we try on this side of life, we will never be perfect communicators or perfect imitators of the Gospel. There will always be some measure of cultural distortion, and some degree of misunderstanding, and some innocent mistake of offense. Languages, idioms, and meanings of words will inevitably change in time. New knowledge will replace old knowledge. The "new man" will continually overtake the "old man." Though we will only be able to convey the perfect message in part, these three will always remain: knowledge, contextualization, and love. But the most perfect of these is love.
