After a 3 hour long conversation at a hookah bar with a Muslim a few weeks ago, I was struck by how much being a universalist (someone who believes all will be redeemed and find their way back to God) fundamentally changes how I relate to people from different faiths and backgrounds. My evangelical self would have been scanning for openings non-stop, desperately trying to stealthily plant seeds. This time, I was able to just be present and appreciate what we do have in common.

What a relief it was to just listen and be curious about his faith journey, without an agenda, without taking on the burden of “saving his soul”. There was no pressure to evangelize and win him over.

Yes, at times, I challenged certain assumptions he had about my faith but I didn’t feel the compulsion to convince him my way was better. Because while I follow Jesus, I believe there are truths inherent in the Islamic faith and I think Christians, if we’re willing to be humble, can learn from Muslims.

Once we stop treating conversations as sales calls, we can actually connect with people.