A Story of Hope: Part 4 of 4

Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself, because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt…”

(Leviticus 19:34, CEB).

            Leviticus 19:34 is one of 400 verses in the Bible that addresses the care of immigrants. Providing for the poor is the only subject that is mentioned more frequently. The book of Ruth itself is devoted to the manner by which God expects His people to treat foreigners.

            I know the matter of immigration is a hot button topic in our country. Some of you will accuse me of taking a political side. Yet the perspective for which I am advocating arises from God’s Word.

           All of life is political. Political dialogue by definition is the act of determining how society should operate. God cares deeply as to how we treat one another as citizens, as well as how we as citizens treat those who cross our borders.

           When undocumented residents are expelled from our country without due judicial process, We the People are operating in defiance of God’s will. Some argue that we are a nation of laws. As such, those persons who immigrate into the United States without proper authorization have committed a crime.

            Presently, some 11 million people were brought to this country illegally by their parents. Subsequently, these so-called Dreamers have grown up in America. They work at our banks. They fix our cars. They care for our elderly. They pay taxes. They have done nothing wrong. This is the only country they’ve known. Yes, by the letter of the law, they deserve to be deported.

            Sadly, some of these Dreamers are still minors. These young people live in fear that one day their parents will be taken and deported by ICE agents without any responsible adult left to care for them. Such traumatic occurrences can leave deep wounds in the psyche of a child.

            Some of you may accuse me of being woke. But if woke means extending mercy to people who find themselves in legal jeopardy because they either they or their parents were seeking asylum from the perils they faced on their home soil, then so be it. I prefer to being branded a bleeding-heart pacifist than to disappoint the Father’s compassionate heart.

            Friends, not every undocumented alien is a member of MS-13. Nor is every immigrant a mule for a drug cartel. A vast number of those requesting to enter into or remain in our country are simply seeking a better life than what their families have previously known.

            You may wonder why I am addressing this matter in a devotion. The short answer is that my conscience will not permit me to remain silent. Paul said, “I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God” (Acts 20:27, NIV). I can do nothing less. None of us has the authority to pick and choose which of Scripture’s many mandates to follow.

            Therefore, my appeal to you is theological motivated. I am not a politician, nor do I aspire to become one. I am a simply a follower of Jesus, the one who grants me grace in my most undeserving moments.

           My greatest aim is to extend the gift of grace I have received from above to those around whom I presently live. I pray you might give earnest consideration to doing likewise.