Welcoming the Stranger

This article was written as a submission for the magazine Light and Life.

Each Monday roughly eighty residents of my community crowd into the little sanctuary of our church in order to receive a few bags of groceries from our food pantry. Increasingly, we have noticed that many who are coming look and speak different from us – they are Latinos who have come to our city of Indianapolis in order to find a new life and escape the destitution of their homeland. Each week I look into their smiling eyes, wishing my Spanish were not so poor and wondering what story they have to tell. What could have brought them here to the inner city? How horrible must it have been to leave your culture, language, and family for a strange land?

You don’t have to be a news junkie to figure out that immigration is a very heated topic in today’s culture. With over 70,000 foreigners arriving in the States each day and projections that by 2042 white Caucasians will be in the minority, it is no wonder that many people have strong feelings about the issue. As the left and right debate over better immigration policy, what ought to be the Christian’s response to immigration? What does the Bible teach us about the alien within our midst?

First and foremost, we must recognize that immigration is not just about policy; it’s about people – people that God loves dearly and calls his own. God has always had a soft spot in his heart for those who are stranded in a foreign land. God intended for his people to be renowned for their hospitality and compassion for those on the margins of society. The Lord commanded his people in this way: "'When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34). Indeed, such demands to welcome, respect, and care for the physical needs of the immigrant can be found consistently throughout the Old Testament. In fact, as one Free Methodist bishop recently pointed out, the Bible has much more to say directly about the issue of immigration that it does about the issue of abortion.

The New Testament is equally clear. It is no coincidence that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were themselves migrants in a foreign land. The threat posed by Herod necessitated their flight to Egypt. For this reason, according to the Roman Catholic Church, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus “are, for all times and all places, the models and protectors of every migrant, alien and refugee of whatever kind who, whether compelled by fear of persecution or by want, is forced to leave his native land, his beloved parents and relatives, his close friends, and to seek a foreign soil.”

Perhaps the most fundamental principle of the New Testament which calls Christians to radical love and acceptance of the foreigner is the second greatest commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus consistently redefines neighbor as anyone who is in need – not simply those of our own ethnicity (Luke 10:30-37). The lavish love of the Father which sends rain and sunshine on both the righteous and the unrighteous must be imitated by those who claim to be his children.

But what if the foreigner in our midst is here illegally? Some will object that caring for illegal immigrants is immoral since they stand in violation of the laws of the land. But as Christians we answer to a higher authority and when the laws of a nation conflict with the laws of God, there must be no doubt in the believer’s mind which should take precedence (Acts 5:29). Unfortunately, many politicians and pundits have capitalized on mankind’s natural fear of those different than ourselves. But believers must see through such ploys – when we look into the eyes of an illegal immigrant, we do not see “one of them” or “a national security risk.” Instead, we see a woman or man created in the image of God for whom Christ died.

Illegal immigration has often sadly been construed as a national security issue. But for the Christian it must primarily be seen as a human rights issue. Instead of focusing on how we can care for the poor and destitute, our voices have sometimes been subverted by a militant nationalism which demands building up walls instead of tearing them down. Bill Mefford, a graduate of Asbury Seminary and United Methodist leader, stated it clearly: “When the focus of the church is blurred from defending the rights of immigrants and their families, to also defending the rights of the State, we come dangerously close to forfeiting our prophetic call to hold the State accountable for its treatment of immigrants. When the church loses its prophetic calling, our mission becomes little more than societal maintenance by assimilating the vulnerable into their assigned place at the bottom of the social, economic, and political order, no matter how unjust that order may be. This is a skewed and unbiblical missiology.”

It is high time for us as a church to set aside our political differences and with one voice proclaim to the immigrant (legal or not): We are on your side! God loves you and so do we! Following the law of love will lead us not only to show extra concern for the alien who might live next door, but also to advocate for them on a political level. Currently thousands of Christians around the nation are signing a petition created by the advocacy group Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. I believe the words of this petition are consistent with the heartbeat of the first Free Methodists:

As a Christian, I believe my faith calls me to view all people, regardless of citizenship status, as made in the "image of God" and deserving of respect; to show compassion for the stranger and love and mercy for my neighbor; and to balance the rule of law with the call to oppose unjust laws and systems when they violate human dignity.

These biblical principles compel me to support immigration reform legislation that is consistent with humanitarian values, supports families, provides a pathway to citizenship for immigrant workers already in the U.S., expands legal avenues for workers to enter the U.S. with their rights and due process fully protected, and examines solutions to address the root causes of migration.

Let us set aside our fear, resist being duped by the politicians, and, as the people of God, stand in solidarity with the aliens in our midst.