“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you
were foreigners in Egypt.” – Exodus 22:21
The recent terrorist attacks in
Paris, Beirut, and Baghdad have resulted in a lot of paranoia and prejudice
being expressed by politicians in public, people on the street, and even
pastors from pulpits. Instead of being faithful, numerous Christians are being
fearful and allowing heartless cowards to disrupt their lives. The whole point
of being a terrorist is to foment terror and provoke insecurity; when we allow
ourselves to be driven by our fears instead of relying upon our freedoms, we
lose our liberty and become captive to tyranny.
I am dismayed and deeply
disappointed in political leaders who, through their xenophobia, seek to close
our borders, reject refugees, and castigate an entire religion as being hostile,
volatile, and violent. When we allow that kind of intolerance and prejudice to
go unchecked, we start to go down a totalitarian path, the likes of which we
have not seen or known in almost eighty years.
The men, women, and children who are
fleeing the Middle East are not seeking to fleece our resources, overturn our
society, or destroy our civilization. They are running away from rabid
religious extremists who want to eradicate them. If we were in the same tragic
and fearful plight, we would want to get our families and friends to safety
wherever we could find it.
As Christians, we are known as People
of the Book to the Islamic world. This means that they regard us as being
shaped and influenced by God’s Word in our Bibles. We also, in the Bible Belt,
take great pride in applying the scriptures in our daily lives. Since this is
the case, then our attitudes and choices, our opinions and compassion for
Syrian refugees, and others like them, should be based upon these words, which
come directly from God:
“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you
were foreigners in Egypt.” – Exodus 22:21
The tragic situation in the Middle
East may take decades to heal; the helpless situation of the Syrian refugees
can be dealt with now. We need to open our hearts and arms, our communities
and borders to receive them. We need to be faithful Christians and not fearful
citizens. We need to show compassion instead of rejection. We need to do what
Christ, who was once a refugee, would do: we need to welcome them.
Questions for reflection
Am I going to live
in fear or by faith? Am I willing to welcome or reject refugees?
Prayer: Lord Jesus,
Your family once fled from the violence and tyranny of Herod, who wanted to
kill You as a child. You know the anxiety of being a refugee; You understand
the need to be welcomed and made safe. Help us to overcome our fears and apply
our faith, according to God’s Word. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin
Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment
or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
image is one of John’s drawings called Stellar Icon, featuring Mary and Jesus
as refugees. If you would like to see a larger version, please click on this
link: Mary.
