As part of my teaching course I was required to go on a visit to a Sikh Gurdwara in Southgate, London as when you teach R.E you have to teach about different religions which may include a visit to a religious place of worship. Before the visit I was a little unsettled because of what spirits may try to attach themselves to me in the Gurdwara but then I remembered the bible verse 'You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.' 1 John 4:4
I would be going into this Sikh Gurdwara as a light for Jesus.
What struck me as I sat there on the floor with a pink scarf covering my head and no shoes listening to the Sikh tour guides was how beautiful the decoration of this place of worship was but it felt pointless because it wasn't for glorifying the one true God, the God who humbled himself to come down to earth to sacrifice Himself for our sins in order to bring us back to relationship with Him and claim back our authority He had given us in the beginning that we disgustingly handed over to the enemy. They spoke about how love was in all that they do but it felt empty.
I respected that they said that they are very much for equality and do not judge others. They said any member of any religion may come to their Gurdwara to worship their different gods. Also, that they were very hospitable. These characteristics should be of the church too as a result of living out God's will of love which I think sometimes people don't always see the first point about equality when they think of the church. Very sad!
In his book, John Ortberg describes that there are many religions that share the same principles of serving and helping but what makes Christianity stand out is God's grace.
