Home 2.0
Sunday
In a previous post (Home) I argued that Christians should have an appropriate and biblical response to undocumented workers and illegal aliens. Our political beliefs should be informed by our understanding of God and God’s heart, not the other way around. So, here’s a few perspectives to help inform this important issues:
1. God cares about people who are oppressed, poor, underprivileged, destitute, and hurting (Luke 4…and the rest of Luke). Not everyone who is undocumented fits this category – but by actively putting laws in place, are we helping to put them there?
2. The US isn’t the promised land. Maybe our job isn’t so much to protect our constitution, economy, and sovereignty. Maybe we actually have an opportunity to sacrifice our own comfort to care about people God cares about.
3. Exodus 22:21 – “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” God says – remember, you’ve been there, the people of God have been there. Remember, what starts as mistreating people (like say, Nazi Germany) can turn into slavery.
4. We should be more known for going than guarding our turf (Matthew 28). There is very little in the New Testament about protecting your own turf from outsiders but there’s a lot about going, sending, reaching out, and inviting.
5. God says, whatever we do for the least of these, it’s just like we’re doing it to him (Matthew 25:34-46). So, what if it was Jesus who needed a job? Wanted to send his kid to college? How would you respond?
6. God is sending people out. And when they aren’t welcomed, he tells them to shake the dust off their feet, for they are going to be seriously judged (Matthew 10). Isn’t it possible that God might send people into the US? God’s really willing to use people we think are powerless, who we might think as lowly (1 Corinthians 1) So, are they shaking the dust off their feet because of how we’re treating them?
7. God values hospitality. He values when we create a welcoming, hopeful, “welcome home” environment. See 1 Peter 4:9 and Hebrews 13:2. Think about the stories we may be a part of if we welcome people that others aren’t willing to.
This is just a start, but the more I learn about God’s heart, it seems like we might be missing the boat in how we respond (or even if we sit quietly while others oppress) to those who we don’t welcome.
