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Tonight, I’m thinking of 2019 when 100s thousands of Christians, incl women/children came to our border LEGALLY to beg for Asylum. Pics from my 2019 trips to El Paso/Tijuana. Women from Cameroon. They fled war/violence. Lots of US evangelicals said this was political and Rom13.
2/ For years, as I’ve advocated, begged, written, prayed for evangelicals to SEE the refugee and asylum seeking “crowds, harassed and helpless”, I was told by many, “The Law is the Law,” and “Romans 13 means we submit to the government.”
Same with Dreamers and undoc immigrants.
Same with Dreamers and undoc immigrants.
3/ I traveled Southeast US 2015-2019 to help churches respond to immigrants/refugees in their midst. I think I led/participated in 300-400 mtgs in 11 states during that time incl writing ministry. Do you have ANY idea how often I heard “Romans 13” and “the law is the law”?
4/ Now, I am told that faithfulness to Christ requires us to disobey the govt to meet for worship. But, last year, so many of us looked away from the suffering and cries of our own brothers/sisters in Christ. I didn’t. I wrote this. See them. https://religionnews.com/2019/06/27/seeing-jesus-in-the-migrants-at-the-border/
5/ “The [border] churches gave the migrants food and drink and provided a temporary place to rest before they continued their journey to join family in other parts of America.
“I’ll never forget seeing the hollow eyes on the faces of exhausted migrants huddled on cots ...”
“I’ll never forget seeing the hollow eyes on the faces of exhausted migrants huddled on cots ...”
6/ “... in a church sanctuary that had been haphazardly turned into a migrant shelter in El Paso ... It was midafternoon, but what struck me was that they were so very tired. They sat in the quiet church worship hall in silence. Some slept. Some just sat and stared...”
7/ “... Babies didn’t even cry. Mothers held their children close and just looked ahead. No one said a word. No laughter, no conversation. No crying of the children. Just silence. They were all so tired.”
“I thirst.”
“Jesus wept.”
“I thirst.”
“Jesus wept.”
“whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 10:25-37; 1 John 4:19-21; Amos 5:21-24; Zechariah 7; Isaiah 58; etc. Scripture says over and over that how we treat people in need reflects our love for Jesus.
Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 10:25-37; 1 John 4:19-21; Amos 5:21-24; Zechariah 7; Isaiah 58; etc. Scripture says over and over that how we treat people in need reflects our love for Jesus.
9/ But, when we by and large didn’t respond to the surge of humanity at our own border, when we largely ignored cries for help, something in me broke. Years of hope in the church to SEE people and love them collapsed. Despair set in. Then, I realized there was Jesus. He sees.
10/ Now, the migrants are scattered, border more quiet. Romans 13 cited as they were pushed away so we wouldn’t see them. Controversial. But, Jesus sees them. He died for them. And, He wants our worship of Him to include them too - those He saves, even those outside the camp.
11/ For the rest of my life, when I hear, “Romans 13,” I will think about the desperate poor begging for help and how we used scripture to turn away from them. And I will grieve.
