Last year the U.N.’s refugee agency said there were more displaced people worldwide—some 50 million—than at any time since World War Two. The most relevant divide in the world right now is the world of disorder versus the world of order. People are fleeing Myanmar and Bangladesh trying to get into Thailand and Malaysia; Africans and Arabs are trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe; Central Americans parents are trying to send their children to the U.S. People are refugees for the same reason Jesus was- survival.
The mass exodus from failed states such as Iraq and Syria which includes millions of Muslim middle easterners, has potentially created security issues that have not been there with the decades long migrations of impoverished Mexican nationals and central Americans. The importance of the security of this country juxtaposed with this humanitarian crisis creates our dilemma.
GERMANY’S RISK OF LOVE
During the last six months the republic of Germany has determined to open up Germany to one million refugees from the middle east. The refugees are being housed at locations where Germany in the 1940s gassed Jews by the millions. The message of hospitality and humanity sent by this use of these concentration camp sites alters a national identity shamed by the Nazi atrocities of the last century.
IMMIGRANTS IN SCRIPTURE
The Bible’s story begins with the creation of humanity-not the creation of America. The sinners of Genesis 3, beginning with Cain, are wanderers, often displaced by war, violence, hunger and famine.
Israel’s covenant scriptures says, “When a foreigner resides in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:33-34. “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner. For you were a foreigner in Egypt.” Exodus 22:21.
All of this uniquely gracious language toward the outsider reflected Israel’s unique story which declared the humanity of us all-all of us divine image bearers. It also reflected Israel’s awareness that she was an immigrant people in Egypt-desperate to escape the famine in Palestine. And then refugees again, desperate to escape Egypt , wandering toward a new life in a new land.
Jesus, as God’s Son, had a unique sensibility for the foreigner: the Samaritans, the Canaanites, the Roman centurion. He came gathering everyone, throwing out a huge net into the world and pulling everyone in. It is this oneness that tells the truth as to who Jesus is. (See Galatians 3:28). 1 Peter describes Christians as “foreigners and strangers” on this earth- resident aliens. This should help sensitize us to what it feels like to be one of the “others.”
CHURCH AS MULTICULTURAL
Disciples get into multiracial relationships in churches. Currently our churches are dangerously homogenous, few legal and illegal immigrants sitting with Anglos in church. Starting churches for ethnic groups usually betrays the Ephesians 2 vision of “one new man in Christ.” Do one church with them. Hear their stories. Gather real information. Sponsor times of hospitality and conversation with refugees. Pray. Donna and I doing marriage counseling with a couple from West Africa sensitized us to the unique stresses and trauma of their experiences. Typically they are working at least two jobs for minimum wages and no benefits; often separated from their own children.
THREE BASICS FROM SCRIPTURE
- All peoples have a right to flee from danger, murder and starvation
- All nations have a right to police their borders.
- All nations have an obligation to do so justly
The U.S. Government has three options:
- Comprehensive immigration reform that creates an earned path to citizenship or residence for unauthorized immigrants already here, while making the border secure.
- Temporary worker program –offers temporary worker status to all unauthorized immigrants and future immigrants.
- Mass deportation of all unauthorized immigrants.
We know what we would want done if we were in their shoes . “Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.” Amos 5:24-The Message