Today’s topic is a difficult one. God’s expectations of government are not identical to God’s expectations for the individual. Still, there is a type of government that every Christian should want, and in a democracy, we have a voice as to how our government should act.
I have had a deep look at my family tree. If I were suddenly considered to be not a citizen of the United States, the majority of my body would have to be deported to Germany, one leg would go to Ireland and one foot to England. We are a nation of immigrants. Everybody came from somewhere else including the indigenous peoples. They were just here much longer.
Every wave of immigrants was resisted in general by the populace that was already here. It is our sinful, human reaction to not want competition for jobs and resources and to not trust people who are different in culture, language, appearance and belief. But those who belong to the Kingdom of God need to develop a different point of view, informed by God’s love for all people.
We still live in a world with a great disparity of wealth. What drew most of my ancestors to the United States was the hope of a better life both in economics and in freedoms. I have at least one ancestor who came over on the Mayflower (Elder John Brewster), so part of me fled religious persecution. People flee for the same reasons today. We can add to the list fleeing from war and areas devastated by natural disaster.
As we turn to the Bible for direction, we find in the New Testament that the Christians are the immigrants. They moved about at times to avoid persecution, but also to bring the message about Jesus to new areas. In the Old Testament, Israel was more monolithic. At first, they drive people out of Palestine at God’s direction. Later, they are told not to follow the ways of the nations around them (they do anyway). The motivations and situation were definitely different than ours. Yet, immigrants were allowed, and special protection was afforded to them. God orders Israel to be kind to the “sojourner” because that is what they were at one time.
9 “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
Exodus 23:9 (ESV)
In the well-known story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11), David desires to take Bathsheba so he has her husband who is loyal to David put in harm’s way. His name is Uriah the Hittite. He is a resident immigrant to Israel.
So, what should our government do? I would love to see an end to illegal immigration because there is a readily accessible legal way to immigrate that can handle the volume. People can go to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate to sign-up and get in line. No more dangerous trips on foot that enrich criminal traffickers. As for people already here because we were not prepared, mercy should be the rule. Get people documented, have a probationary period, deport bad actors, limit benefits until full citizenship is achieved; but do not turn a blind eye to the suffering and needs of the world.
We could probably do more to make people’s current home a place they want to stay. Nobody wants to be a sojourner. Eliminating organized crime in Haiti and Central America and finding a way to oust a non-elected dictator in Venezuela, would just about dry up the flow.
Christians should not become part of the public voice crying for the deportation of immigrants. We should not allow this issue to become a political football as it has. Something does need to be done, but it should be both measured and merciful.
Giving Christ 