Ride Share Your Faith!

If you use ridesharing as transportation in just about any city in the USA, you have probably noticed that a lot of the drivers are named Muhammed, or another clearly Muslim name.

I’ve found that sharing a ride with a Muslim driver is a lovely opportunity to listen and learn how to pray for someone who will more than likely appreciate it.

Here’s what I do, every chance I get, perhaps you will find it helpful to you, too.

1) When you get in the car, politely ask if you can sit up front — it’s easier to talk that way. Not every driver is comfortable with this, but it is not impolite to ask.

2) You already know the driver’s name and he knows yours from the app you are using to call for the ride, so you can do your best to pronounce his name and ask if you are pronouncing it correctly.

3) Ask “Muhammed, how long have you been driving as a ride-share driver? What got you into ride-share driving?”

4) LISTEN! Pay attention to the story — try to remember names if he shares them of his family or children. There is almost always a story connected to being a ride-share driver. If the story comes slowly, ask respectful follow-up questions. (Example: “With your plans for finishing your master’s degree on hold, how does driving help you keep learning?”

5) As you near the end of the trip (the phone on the dashboard will show you how long until you arrive at your destination), ask politely “Muhammed, I am a Christian, and would like to pray with you, especially for the situations you have told me about in your life. May I pray for you (and your ______ [family, your studies, your plans…etc.]” [I have never had a driver say no, but if a driver asks you not to, then don’t].

6) Pray for what you have learned about your driver. Pray God’s healing for any family member needing medical care or pray for God’s blessing to his children or his family back in his home country.

7) Include in your prayer as much of the Gospel as you feel comfortable praying for him.

For example:

“Dear Lord God, I come to you today, praying for Muhammed and his family. Thank you for allowing us to meet each other today. I pray your blessing and healing on his wife, who is recovering from an expensive medical procedure. I pray you bless Muhammed’s ability to earn the funds needed to pay for this care, and I ask you, Lord God, in the Name of Jesus, to heal his wife, fully. May he and family see how deeply you love them, and that You have made peace between God and man through the perfect life and work of Jesus. I pray that this family come to know the peace that comes from coming to know the risen Savior, who has made possible forgiveness for all our sins. In His powerful and holy name, Jesus, Amen.”

I have had men get out of the driver’s seat to come and give me a huge hug, with tears in their eyes once we arrived to our destination. I’ve also had men mumble “thank you” or not much more than that, but that has been rare. Usually there is a genuine gratitude for the attention given to what is motivating them to earn the funds through driving, and they find it refreshing to meet a Christian who is not afraid to pray with them.

A final point. After your ride, it is possible for you to add a tip to your payment. If you have learned of a significant financial need, I recommend giving a larger tip than you might have given, otherwise, keeping in mind what James said about praying for someone and not actually caring for his need (James 2:15-17).