Coming off this week of mourning, I wanted this to be one of the first things I posted on here after my hiatus.
The only story from Israel I need you to hear:
“Are you a Christian or a Jew?” my Uber driver Abed asked out of the blue. I told him I was an American Christian – but I was driving to go visit a Jewish friend in Jerusalem. “I have lived in Jerusalem all my life,” he told me, “I am a Muslim. I have a wife and three children. Jerusalem is my life.”
I asked him about what it is like raising a family in such a consequential city.
“I would not raise my children anywhere else,” he said. “Have you seen the West Bank? No one works. Gaza? No. Other Muslim countries – would not be good for my children. No. Israel is the best you can have. This is the best place in the world.”
I told him many Westerners would be surprised to hear a practicing Muslim speak this way about Israel.
“The media lies about Israel,” he said without hesitation, “This is a beautiful place. I have a home. My family is safe. My religion is free. Democracy. My children have a good life – and my children are all I live for.”
In that moment, a thousand years of religious tension melted away – and there was just a happy husband and father driving my Uber past the worn, Old City Jerusalem walls.
“Christians, Muslim, Jew – we can all love Israel,” he said. I got out of the car and thanked him for the best Uber ride of my life. “God Bless You,” Abed said.
Don’t believe the broken media.
The vast majority of the people on this earth are just decent men and women who love their families and want to be safe.
This is the only story from Israel I need you to hear – a very Israeli story about The Promise Land.
I encourage all of you to visit Israel to see the truth for yourselves.
Source: Benny Arthur Johnson
