SHEPHERD
TO SHEEP
THE
IMMIGRANT
The topic of
immigration is without doubt a controversial issue facing our nation
today. On the one hand we have the group
that says we should receive and provide for all who come in to our
borders. On the other we have those who
draw the line and build the walls and say it’s too much for our society to
handle. So let’s take a look at what the
Bible says about the immigrant:
AVOID
ILL-TREATMENT AND BE UNDERSTANDING: (Exo 22:21) “You shall neither mistreat a
stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Acts
28:2) And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and
made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the
cold.
PROVIDE FOR
AS ABLE: (Lev 19:10) And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather
every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the
stranger: I am the Lord your God…(Mat 25:35) for I was hungry and you gave Me
food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me
in.
BE AN
ADVOCATE FOR: (Deu 10:18) He administers
justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him
food and clothing.
SEE THEM AS
AN OPPRESSED CLASS THAT GOD HAS A HEART FOR: (Psa 146:9) The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the
fatherless and widow…
SEE THEM AS
PEOPLE WHO HAVE A MESSAGE FROM GOD FOR US: (Heb
13:2) Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have
unwittingly entertained angels (messengers).
RECOGNIZE
PEOPLE OF FAITH WHO WERE STRANGERS IN A FOREIGN LAND: (1 Pet
2:11) Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts
which war against the soul. (I.e. Abraham, Joseph, Israel in Egypt, Ruth,
Judah in Babylon, etc.)
It is quite
obvious from these verses that God has a heart for the immigrant, and that we
should follow in kind. But that doesn’t
negate the initiative that might be needed to bring about reform and regulation
in the area of immigration. That needs
to be worked out by a society with just laws that benefit all (Acts 19:38; Rom
13:1-7, etc.). But the Bible emphasizes
an individual response and not just a legal response. The forming of law and policy can coexist
with a compassionate response to personal need.
I remember
how even subtle discrimination felt when we were living overseas as
missionaries. And to see how tough it
was (and still is) for my son-in-law to immigrate to the U.S. Let’s try to be like God who balances His
justice and love in a world of constant collision of ideals.
Louie
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