Monday, August 16, 2010

We All Belong to God

"Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter -- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from our own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly disappear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard." -- Isaiah 58:7-8

Immigration has always been one of those button topics. You know the kind I mean. Someone mentions immigration and, suddenly, there's a heated debate among otherwise cordial people. Arizona's new law has only made it worse.

I have a split personality on the issue. There's that very human part of me that supports enforcing immigration laws equally. We shouldn't have one set of laws for people immigrating from Europe or Russian or just about anyplace else and have separate immigration laws for Mexicans who cross the border illegally. It's not right. It's not fair. And, frankly, it costs taxpayers a great deal of money in benefits for people who shouldn't be here in the first place.

Then there's that other side of me that understands God didn't create borders. He doesn't recognize them any more than He favors one skin color over another. The whole world belongs to Him and all people who inhabite the earth are His. We may choose between accepting Jesus' gift or not, but we're God's children regardless.

So, who are we, prejudiced people that we are, to keep people out who are only trying to find a better life? Who are we to turn people away instead of welcoming them and showing them the love of Jesus that lives in us? Who are we to decide who is worthy to hear God's message and who should be cast aside for failing to measure up?

It's like we see ourselves as somehow superior when it is only by Grace that we were born in the United States rather than somewhere else. God chose this land for us. He chose us to care for it -- and to care for others. How can anyone see God's light when we are busily shoving them out of our way?

I don't have any answers to the immigration debate that rages on but I do know God has called us to care for people -- no matter where they are born. We are called to do it regardless of whether it's convenient or costly or even something we want to do. All people are part of us. We're all flesh and blood, born of dust. We forget that sometimes as we focus on our own families and friends. And, you know, it's amazing how God works. The more we care for others, the more we give and accept and reach out, the more God blesses us in return.