My Arab Friend Adib

The Holy Name of God as written in Arabic.
For my Muslim friends / brethren, behold the 100th Name of God.
Notice the English phonetic letters.
Arabic is read / written from right to left.
From the Hebrew 'Yeshua' (to rescue; to deliver; a saving cry).

Made a new friend recently.

91 year old Adib.

He's Arabic and hails from Syria.

I visit local libraries often to borrow some movies and pick up a book or two.

This particular day, I was using the library's internet to do some work from my laptop. 

Work I typically do at local coffee shops.

I was planning on being out of the house only for a few hours.

The plan was to hopefully take the day off in some way.

But my work is never done.

As I am realizing, my work is not always what I consider 'work'.

My work is also much more than what I cognitively think it is.

But, the details of my work is for another article.

After picking out a few movies and grabbing a book I noticed last time I was there, I sit down at a table for four and proceed to get online.

Shortly afterwards in walks this elderly man.

He's walking slowly due to his age.

He begins asking for help about some things.

His speech is quite loud.

His voice echoes in a place no echo should resound.

This loudness is not out of distemper, or bad manners (as often happens in public libraries I frequent) but simply his manner.

I am amused by his antics.

I ponder if he is unable to speak quietly or simply lacks the awareness that people are accustomed to having silence in a library.

I think it simply is his age.

He is not intending to be a bother.

The break with social protocol does, however, bother almost everyone in that very small library.

But me, I'm joyously taking it all in.

I find his demeanor amusing because it challenges patrons and employees alike.

The norm is being disturbed.

I'm also a bit surprised as to why this old man has my attention.

I too sense the discomfort from the breaking of the social norm.

Yet it is as if something is telling me to push past typical human attitudes and adherence to social expectations.

This expectation is being redefined as this man continues speaking loudly.

Have you noticed how you can somehow 'hear' someone's thought process when hearing them speak?

How they ask for something or respond often times clues the thoughts they are not openly sharing.

This is what I enjoy to observe.

I hope to at least learn something.

To learn about others, about myself, about life, about humanity, about how best to be in any situation, choosing what is right, et al.

In short order, the librarian assisting him begins to lose her patience.

She did her best.

It has been my experience that typically a question or two is asked of a librarian.

After a short interaction, the patron usually goes away and the librarian returns to whatever previously had their attention.

But such was not the case with old Adib.

By now I am not trying to focus on my 'work' on the computer, but rather this different personality that everyone by now has heard.

I am hoping, in my heart, him and myself are able to speak.

Or at least that he comes close enough so I may say hello and forward some kindness to him.

One of his first requests for the librarian was for a chair, stating he is 91 years old and cannot stand for long.

I laughed inside.

The librarian immediately complied.

I am all smiles when she glances my way.

My heart is messaging her 'thanks' for the patience and service she is expressing to someone a bit demanding and needy.

After a few minutes, however, she's had enough.

She tells him that she needs to get back to work after meeting several of his demands / requests.

He begins making his way to an empty space to sit down and do whatever else he came to library for.

After meandering here and there, he noticed that I have plenty of space at that four-person table.

He motions to the table and begins to ask if he may have a seat.

I am more than eager to welcome him.

He is glad and so am I.

He unloads his bag onto the table and I act like I'm trying to focus on my computer.

Truth be told, I'm thinking of an opportunity to spark a conversation.

I had estimated by his speech he was likely from somewhere in the Middle East.

He is someone I'd like to engage in meaningful conversation if he would be so willing and able.

From what I had heard so far, he sounds very able.

He pulls out a couple of business cards and eventually begins to slowly write on decorative squares of paper Arabic words using a marker.

Part of my work is studying, learning about - with the aim to reach people's hearts - most things related to Islam.

Here I realize an expert in at least Arabic.

This affirms my excitement.

Arabic is very much imbued within Islam.

Arabic is the language that religion and culture developed from.

Not all Arabs are Muslims, nor do all Muslims wholly reflect Arabic culture or speak / read Arabic.

I asked him about what he's doing.

That question initiated a wonderful and nearly two-hour conversation with this lovely elder.

As we chatted, Adib sensed what my heart was overflowing with for him: love.

Love is often conveyed without the use of specific words like 'I love you'.

Love is conveyed through many other words.

Most importantly, love is conveyed through action.

It is more about what one does rather than their words.

The choice of words and what is aimed at.

Whether correcting or highlighting or ignoring things, the manner (action) sentiment is conveyed reflects if love exists.

When he mentioned sensing love from me, in my words, in my interactions with him, touched my heart in a way only God knows... and I see this was God's purpose (as in all things).

It is only later that I realize this intended interaction was not my own doing.

On the contrary, it is from the Lord and is the Lord working in and through me.

For this man to recognize it so quickly and clearly was so affirming, and surprising for me.

It was surprising to hear him, in previous minutes a complete 'stranger', acknowledge it.

These are moments of sobriety of a particular nature.

A sobriety not in a manner that the entire event was 'serious' or overtly 'religious' in tone.

Rather, our conversation and dialogue was more like God's kiss of grace on both our faces.

When he mentioned that he now, having retired and always looking for extra income, writes Arabic calligraphy as a means... I considered commissioning him.

He was writing the names on the business cards.

I asked him how he would write the Name Yeshua (or Isa / Eesa / Issa - the English literal of the Arabic).

I wrote down on a napkin of mine 'Yeshua is Lord'.

He read it.

This caused yet another and more profound spark.

He began to share with me how Isa / Jesus / Yeshua is the most honored character in the Quran (Muhammad's poetry).

I wholeheartedly agreed, yet that opinion is not a popular one amongst religious Muslims (per my experience).

I refrained from getting into any debate about that opinion.

Each man has his own interpretation of things despite what popular consensus demands.

Besides what is dogmatically taught to people, our hearts is the space that truth can be clearly reflected.

Not our minds.

But since men can only express through their minds (with human words) what their hearts ponder (either the Word of God or its absence), it is not our 'gnosis'.

At least this has been my personal experience regarding the soul searching I've done.

This has also been the experience, with obvious exceptions, when discussing such matters with others of a similar or variant 'faith'.

Regardless of what is touted as 'true' or 'from God', what the mind understands or believes is often times different than what is revealed in the heart.

This is why through love, the arguing over words or ideas or explanations take second place to love's first place position.

So whatever someone is told about religious ideas, without a search and discovery of God from their hearts, only the heart can pacify the mind's dissonance or doubt or use of different words.

I followed his discourse and simply added to it.

I helped build upon his understanding and his point of view.

I went the extra mile.

I became what I needed to for this dear man.

In doing this I discovered the truth was already sown in his heart.

Mutual edification.

I praised the Lord in my heart, ever grateful for such a journey He has chosen for me.

Adib mentioned some of the miracles attributed to Isa in the Quran, and how He was very much like God in this way.

I added how He is also called the 'Spirit of God' and 'Word of God'.

Adib reaffirmed this with joy.

This entire time, and our conversation, was being heard all over that library.

The 30 or so souls in that small space likely had no idea they would be hearing that day a sermon develop in a most unusual and unorthodox way.

No matter how much I tried to keep the decorum and cultural expectation, God's praise was loudly being pronounced by this 91 year old Arabic man.

I learned how to better adjust.

As he wrote out the Holy Name in Arabic, he added a heart shape to the last letters (see image, top left - Arabic is written from right to left, similar to Hebrew and other languages).

I noticed a passion arise in Adib as we discussed and pondered God's Name.

As we explored the meanings attached to the Name.

It was wonderful to hear his sentiments.

This article would be much longer and detailed if I were to share every single notion I pondered, every wonderful nuance I learned, and every joy that was highlighted by mutual edification.

I found that although I had planned to have a day 'off', I found a respite intertwined with my work.

This was exactly what my heart had intended in terms of relaxation and enjoyment that day.

Adib mentioned teleology and how he was in need of money, thus his continued work even at such an age.

He mentioned this idea in working towards an understanding of our meeting and our discussions.

Further edification.

He had also mentioned his opinion that Paul was a pragmatist.

Excellent observations on his part I told him. 

Paul being pragmatic in meeting people where they were, and how nothing is by chance, but purposed by God (teleology).

Meeting this elderly man reminded me of my grandfather.

Adib was himself the entire time and not self conscious... just like my maternal grandfather.

He, like my grandfather Severo, was not worried about what people were thinking.

Not in an arrogant way, but simply being comfortable about who they are.

Or likely not even thinking about that, bust just 'being'.

This understandably poses a challenge for people, since it calls them to love, to be patient, to extend grace and understanding to others.

In other words... to be kind to another human being regardless.

It is a lesson about accepting another person who may seem to be set in their ways.

Realize that each and every one of us is also set in our own unique, or collective, way.

That is the lesson.

To humbly get out of our set ways and meet someone in the ways they are.

Some people are either unable, or unaware, of their ways... and it is arrogant to think 'we' are right in our ways, our manners, our expectations.

Thus the calling to love means also to meet others there where they are.

And doing this not in hoping to bring them to where you are, but rather to find God working in all ways beyond your own perception of the Way.

Isn't that what God did with us through Christ?

As the Holy Name of Isa / Jesus / Yeshua means, He surely did.

May His Name be forever praised in all languages of men... even in quiet and small libraries in the California city of Long Beach.