Hello my friends,

My heart has been grieving over the treatment towards our immigrant neighbors. I've gotten a lot of messages from you about this as well. So, today I wanted to invite us to contemplate the current situation through a Biblical lens and then provide some ways of getting involved.

Recommended Resources:

​-Jemar Tisby: Road To Ruin video series. Historian, author, and my friend, Jemar Tisby has put together a video series that describes how we got here and what to do about it. You can see the preview for it on his youtube page where the series will be available April 3rd.

​-My conversation with Malynda Hale. I had a great conversation with my friend Malynda Hale this last week. We discussed a lot of things and it was so refreshing. I thought I would share it here.

​-Into The Gray Podcast. This week on my sermon podcast, I'll be preaching from Luke 13:1-9, and explore Jesus' response to a local tragedy in a way that seems to difficult to understand. It has some profound implications for our time. It will be posted this evening.

​-Mosaics Podcast. This podcast is locally based here in Idaho and interviews those who have gone through or are involved in the immigration system. It is really informative and inspiring.

​

Okay, onto today's content.
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“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 19:34

My heart has been deeply grieving for the immigrant and refugee community. Not just right now, but for almost a decade. Over that time, I have heard some of the most powerful and wealthy people say some of the most dehumanizing and demonizing things about immigrants and the places they are from.

I have heard them all categorized as “criminals” and “rapists.” I have heard them described as “invaders.” I have heard them described as “poisoning the blood of our country.” I have heard their countries of origin called “$#&@-hole countries." I have heard baseless conspiracy theories spread about them eating our pets.​

I have heard this rhetoric demonizing both “illegal” and “legal” immigrants alike, depending on the day. Interestingly, it seemed to only ever be applied to immigrants of color.

Then we saw millions of people choose to demonize an entire segment of humanity due to this rhetoric over “immigration” while never tolerating even the slightest criticism of their preferred politicians.

Then we saw millions of people declare “they must obey the law” when it came to immigrants and refugees, while calling it a “witch hunt” when it came to holding their preferred politicians to that same law.

Then we saw millions of people put rhetoric like that in power. We saw millions of people put rhetoric like that in charge of our immigration system.

All while God’s voice echoed in scripture saying that all of humanity is created in God’s image.

All while Jesus’ voice echoed in time saying, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

All while we read our Bibles, the majority of which was written by immigrants, refugees, those in exile, and those being exploited by an occupying force.

All while we celebrated Christmas, when the holy family had to flee to Egypt as political refugees themselves from a tyrant.

All while many of the same legislators who advocated anti-immigrant policies demanded the hanging of the “ten commandments” in our public schools, which were originally brought down a mountain by Moses, who was called by God to lead an entire group of refugees through the desert, immigrating to a new land after escaping a totalitarian regime.

We have seen a ruthless and demonizing shift towards immigrants to say the least.

Now please hear me, I believe in good immigration policies and healthy boarders for nations. But where I seem to depart from many people on this topic is that I believe human beings should all be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their legal status or country of origin.

Just like I wouldn’t want all white men like myself to be reduced to a “threat” simply because white men are the most common suspect in a mass shootings, I don’t think it’s right or fair to reduce all immigrants to the title of “criminal” because some people, who happened to be immigrants, committed crimes in our country.

Also, statistically, immigrants are less likely to commit crime than native born Americans.

Yet, this disdain towards immigrants has become the norm since the election.

Some of the news I’ve seen about the treatment of immigrants lately has been so heartbreaking.

​Iranian Christian coverts fleeing religious persecution were met with deportation rather than safety in the U.S.

​A professor from Brown University was deported to Lebanon without explanation or due process, despite having a U.S. visa.

​Mahmoud Khalil, who helped lead protests of the Gaza war at Columbia University, was arrested and a doctoral student’s visa was revoked.

​Hundreds of immigrants were deported even though a judge ordered their removals to be stopped.

​A 10-year-old U.S. citizen recovering from brain cancer was deported to Mexico with her family.

​On Monday here in Idaho, legislatures voted 46-22 to advance House Bill 135, which removes many benefits, such as immunizations and food assistance for children, that had been available to undocumented people.

​Half a million Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans are having their legal status revoked and being urged to “self deport” within the next 30 days or they will be removed by deportation agents. DHS said it retains the authority to target migrants who arrived under this program before the 30-day period lapses and those prioritized for arrest will include migrants who have failed to apply for another immigration benefit like asylum or a green card. The application process for both a green card and asylum can take several months to several years.

​Funding for unaccompanied immigrant children to have legal representation as they navigate the legal system has been cut, which will leave many children having to represent themselves in court. I can’t even write this one without tearing up.

This horrible list goes on and on. The current treatment of our immigrant brothers and sisters is arbitrary, callous, and inhumane. All being carried out by an administration that many would call “Christian.”

There is nothing Christian about these things.

As the recent presidential election drew closer, I will never forget watching Deuteronomy 28:43-44 go super viral on social media as a Christian justification to support this authoritarian approach to immigration. The passage says, "Foreigners who live in your land will gain more and more power, while you gradually lose yours. They will have money to lend you, but you will have none to lend them. In the end they will be your rulers.”

This passage stripped from its original context was used to stoke and justify all the fears that were being employed through political rhetoric towards the very people followers of Jesus were called to love.

So let’s take a quick look at the context of this passage.

First, this is from the book of Deuteronomy. The context of this book is set during the time right after ancient Israel had just spent 40 years wondering the wilderness and right before they entered the “promised land.” Moses is then setting the stage by reminding Israel where they’ve come from and how to remain faithful to God in their future ahead in the promised land.

This is important to note for several reasons.

One, because this book was written to ancient Israel in a time very different from our own. They are the intended audience of this book.

And two, because the promised land was already occupied. So guess who would be considered “foreigners” by the original inhabitants? You guessed it: Israel.

This second point is a theme all throughout the scriptures, probably most succinctly said in the passage I featured above, Leviticus 19:34 “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.”

God desires for Israel to not forget how they were treated as foreigners in the land of Egypt so that they don’t turn right around and treat the foreigners in their land the same way. Only to repeat the evils of pharaoh themselves towards someone else.

They were called instead to be different, set apart, a holy people. This is how the book of Deuteronomy frames all the laws and expectations from God that follow: Deuteronomy 7:6 says, "For you are a holy people set apart to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be a people for His own possession.”

This is why many of the laws that follow, God literally commands Israel to be generous, kind, compassionate, and just towards immigrants, which was so uncommon in the ancient world. Much like it is today. Hostility towards immigrants shaped the way ancient empires operated, but Israel was called to be different.

Here are just a few examples:

Deuteronomy 10:19: This verse emphasizes the importance of showing compassion and identifying with those who are oppressed or marginalized. It also calls for empathy and solidarity with those who may be in similar situations.

Deuteronomy 14:28-29: States that people should love strangers and provide them with food and clothing.

Deuteronomy 24:14: States that people should not withhold wages from poor and needy laborers, including aliens who reside in the land.

Deuteronomy 24:17-19: This passage discusses the rights of immigrants, orphans, and widows. It states that you should not obstruct an immigrant's legal rights, and that you should leave grain in the field for immigrants, widows, and orphans at harvest time.

Deuteronomy 26:12-13: States that tithing was started in part for resident aliens.

Deuteronomy 27:19: States that anyone who deprives an alien of justice is cursed.

All this and more is prior to the passage we are talking about here in Deuteronomy 28:43-44. In this passage, it states that foreigners who live in the land will gain power and wealth, while the Israelites will lose theirs. It also says that the foreigners will lend money to the Israelites, but the Israelites will not be able to lend to them.

Given the context of the rest of Deuteronomy, this is essentially explaining to ancient Israel that if they do not follow the covenant laid out here by God, their fortunes would change and the land may be given to someone else who would actually follow God’s call.

It isn’t because of the foreigners themselves that Israel would be losing power and wealth. It would be because of their own disobedience to God. Disobedience which would include mistreating the foreigner among them. That is the main point of this passage.

There are so many issues with how this passage was being shared and why. Issues from putting America on the same level as ancient Israel all the way to taking one passage out of context and acting as if it applies perfectly to our current moment.

The Bible has thousands of passages that compel its original audience to care for the poor and the most vulnerable, including the immigrant. Even Jesus says how we treat the stranger among us is how we treat him (Matthew 25:35).

The way this passage from Deuteronomy 28:43 was being used was heartbreaking. It reflects far more about the political climate our time and the people interpreting it than it did about what the Bible actually said on the topic of treating immigrants. It was used in a way to literally ignore the rest of the book of Deuteronomy and the Bible as a whole.

Bible verses are far too often ripped out of context haphazardly like this in order to justify power over others. It is especially hypocritical to do so towards a people group the Bible specifically calls its audience to care for and love as themselves, like the immigrant.

It not only misuses and misunderstands the Bible, but it presents a deeply callous message to the world from a people who are claiming to want to follow the Bible.

Especially given how many of us Christians in America were not the original inhabitants of this land we currently call our own nation, this kind of tragic behavior misuses both our patriotism and our faith.

We need to do so much better, especially now.

This is a time for those of us who follow Jesus to love our neighbors all the more boldly, including our immigrant neighbors.

What to do?

We can start by listening to how our local religious and political leaders are speaking about immigrants. If it is in a callous and demonizing way, write them and speak out. Ask them why they do not stand up for them instead.

We can also take action by joining or contributing to these following organizations:

​Daily State of Play. This is a newsletter committed to giving the most updated and detailed information on issues relating to immigration. It always includes a really helpful section called “Current Policy Asks and Upcoming Actions.”

​ACACIA Center for Justice. This organization seeks to deliver and advocate for meaningful and effective access to justice and freedom for immigrants at risk of detention or deportation. They are paying special attention to urgent issue of unaccompanied immigrant children going without legal representation.

​World Relief: they are one of the largest proactive organizations that help with immigrants all over the world, including here in the U.S. They offer many ways of getting involved through their website.

​We Choose Welcome. I discovered this organization through instagram as they are rather active on social media busting myths about immigration and immigrants. I have found their posts to be very insightful and they offer resources and ways to get involved through their webpage as well.

​Women of Welcome. This is a community dedicated to diving into the whole of scripture to understand God’s heart for the immigrant and refugee. They provide Bible studies, films, and events geared around scripture’s call to hospitality. They also offer a lot of other resources and ways to get involved as well.

​International Rescue Committee. This organization focuses on aiding refugees and is also very active on social media and does a wonderful job representing issues faced by the immigrant community. I’m going to link their recent Facebook post about legal representation for immigrant children here.​

If you have other resources you’d like to share, please feel free to send them my way.

Be sure to be encouraged by how many good people there are working to serve and love others every single day. We are not alone. There are a lot of us working to care for others. We can find hope in that reality.

May Psalm 146:7-9 be our continued prayer in these times:

“God: who is faithful forever, who gives justice to people who are oppressed, who gives bread to people who are starving!

The LORD: who frees prisoners.

The LORD: who makes the blind see.

The LORD: who straightens up those who are bent low.

The LORD: who loves the righteous.

The LORD: who protects immigrants, who helps orphans and widows, but who makes the way of the wicked twist and turn!”