— As a new student at The Ohio State University's main campus, the very first thing to notice, besides its vast size, is the variety of people.  Most all my classes have 8 - 9 Asian students and 2 - 3 students from Muslim nations. 

My first week of school, I became comfortable with going to the Science and Engineering Library to study.  I needed somewhere to go where I could do homework, study, etc. on campus without having to pay to be there.  The SE Library, a 4 story - 5 floor building in the middle of "central campus" where all my classes currently are, made the most sense. 

I'm still working full time, and once I was in the basement of the SE Library where I don't get very good reception on my cell phone, my boss called.  Being a user of Google Voice, even in Gmail, I got my headphones plugged into my computer and walked to the back of the movable book stacks with it to make a call over the Wifi.  Behind said stacks, there's a hallway of sorts, created by separating the bulk of the room from the stacks.  Most people use the SE Library for a place to study like I do.  Not a lot of people use it for the books, at least not the ones in the basement.  That's why I went there; for privacy. 

I'm not Muslim.  Quite the contrary, I am a Christian.  I believe the Holy Bible is the living and only Word of the Living God.  I believe a Hebrew Lamb came to be slain in our place, delivering us from our sin, and becoming an infallible leader with irresistible power based on absolute truth.  Everything I do, I do in the name of this truth.  So when I speak against any other religion, I do so to speak for my Jesus, and what He's done for us.

Besides that, what I saw when I walked to the back of the stacks made me *jealous* in a way I did not expect.  At the far side of the space between the wall and the stacks, there was a girl on a carpet.  She had her hair covered, and was on her knees facing a certain direction.  She was slowly moving up and down with her eyes shut, in reverence.  She was a Muslim girl, and she was worshiping.  Of course, in her religion, this kind of worship is a requirement - 5 times daily.  But still... there she was in the middle of the day in a public place, even though she sought privacy, on her knees with a special carpet, worshiping.

And you know, I just thought of the phrase commonly spoke by Christian leaders today, comparing the church of Jesus Christ to those that are lost in a lie: "The world is good at spreading the lie, and Christians tell the truth badly."  Taking it a step further, some other religions - such as the Muslims - honor and show reverence for a spirit that is not God well.  How do we, as Christians, compare to the honor and reverence shown to The Almighty?

I got to thinking... our "religion" contains a real relationship with the Creator of all things.  It consists of a personal promise and daily interaction between me and the God of life and love on the basis of the unending and everlasting love of the Living God.  What do other religions have?  Some truth, twisted by a demonic spirit to portray a lie in order to keep those created by God away from Him.

Yet we don't, 5 times a day, bow a knee in reverence of the God we serve.  We don't wear outwardly clothing (at least, often) that portrays our respect for His Word.  Most Christians can't even find the time to go to church! 

I'm not suggesting that we do the carpet thing and the hair thing.  I'm merely asking, why are they better at worshiping their god than we are at worshiping the one true God?  I'm merely suggesting that the attitude of our hearts, at the very least, should reflect a better reverence and a better loyalty to Jesus than what their outward attitude shows to the spirit to whom they bow.  Why?  Because we have more to be thankful for.  We have more of a reason to worship the God that literally lives on the inside of us, and has given us unending power to see victory on every side in His Holy name.  How good has our God been to us, compared to their god?  How does that make us feel?  What could we do differently to show God, you know, God -- I love you.  Just something to think about.  :)