The Sojourner
You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
--Leviticus 19:34
Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
--Deuteronomy 10:19
Living in a state where over 200,000 "dreamers"--the children of illegal immigrants covered by DACA--live, it seems imperative to reflect on a response to any rescinding of DACA from a theological base. More imperatively, it seems necessary to respond from simple compassion since I seek to follow Jesus, the embodied compassion of God.
Throughout the Jewish scriptures, Israel is commanded to care for the sojourner in their midst--the traveler from somewhere else. They are to be welcomed. They are to be fed. Sojourners are to know the hospitality of Israel that flows directly from the compassionate care the Israelites receive from God. In the prophets, some of the fiercest critique comes when Israel forgets this basic kindness. God has no patience for the people who claim God's presence when they forget that they are only in that presence through the hospitality of God's grace.
Jesus continually sought out the stranger as he profoundly transcended the basic requirements of the Torah. He directly approached the foreigner and outsider. He welcomed them, ate with them, and made sure they knew that God's grace went far beyond national or ethnic borders and was there for every human child of God no matter who they were or where they came from.
As we read through our scriptures, we find there is no place for xenophobia. God made all people--i.e., ALL people--therefore, there are no strangers in God's eyes, only beloved children.
Therefore, there seems only one response to any action that pulls back a welcome mat or denigrates someone who is a sojourner. We have to respond with bold kindness, protecting, sheltering, and welcoming the sojourner. We are to counter unwelcome with compassion.
The truth is that our immigrant neighbors are not a bane on our existence. They do not steal jobs from long-term citizens. They do not bring waves of crime with them. Statistical analysis reveals quite the opposite--they become full participants in the community; adding labor, commitment, and help. Please see--
"The demographic change fueling the angst of Trump’s base," by Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 9/6/2017.
--Leviticus 19:34
Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
--Deuteronomy 10:19
Living in a state where over 200,000 "dreamers"--the children of illegal immigrants covered by DACA--live, it seems imperative to reflect on a response to any rescinding of DACA from a theological base. More imperatively, it seems necessary to respond from simple compassion since I seek to follow Jesus, the embodied compassion of God.
Throughout the Jewish scriptures, Israel is commanded to care for the sojourner in their midst--the traveler from somewhere else. They are to be welcomed. They are to be fed. Sojourners are to know the hospitality of Israel that flows directly from the compassionate care the Israelites receive from God. In the prophets, some of the fiercest critique comes when Israel forgets this basic kindness. God has no patience for the people who claim God's presence when they forget that they are only in that presence through the hospitality of God's grace.
Jesus continually sought out the stranger as he profoundly transcended the basic requirements of the Torah. He directly approached the foreigner and outsider. He welcomed them, ate with them, and made sure they knew that God's grace went far beyond national or ethnic borders and was there for every human child of God no matter who they were or where they came from.
As we read through our scriptures, we find there is no place for xenophobia. God made all people--i.e., ALL people--therefore, there are no strangers in God's eyes, only beloved children.
Therefore, there seems only one response to any action that pulls back a welcome mat or denigrates someone who is a sojourner. We have to respond with bold kindness, protecting, sheltering, and welcoming the sojourner. We are to counter unwelcome with compassion.
The truth is that our immigrant neighbors are not a bane on our existence. They do not steal jobs from long-term citizens. They do not bring waves of crime with them. Statistical analysis reveals quite the opposite--they become full participants in the community; adding labor, commitment, and help. Please see--
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