Refugee

What the Bible calls strangers, foreigners, and sojourners today we call refugees, displaced persons, migrants, immigrants or asylum seekers who for various reasons have left their community or country and don’t belong in their new surroundings. The global refugee crisis affects many millions of men, women and children trapped in situations not of their making but caused by warfare, genocide, climatic conditions and oppression in various places around the world.

The government has a responsibility to protect its own citizens and deal with the influx of these disadvantaged humans. As believers our personal responsibility is to show compassion and follow Bible principles which include: with disciple-like behaviour and

What is my attitude to such people?

hospitality, “I was a stranger and you invited me in” (Mt 25:35; Heb 13:1,2); without discrimination, “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feel to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt” (Ex 23:9); with compassion, “Love them as yourself” (Lev 19:33,34; Mk 12:31); put ourselves in their shoes, “Do to others as you would they do to you” (Lk 6:31); practically, “with justice and mercy” (Mic 6:8); sacrificial care with the directive to actively “Go and do likewise” (Lk 10:30-35,37). The commendation and conversely condemnation from Jesus are, "What you did (or didn't do) unto the least of these you did (or didn't do) unto me"(Mt 25:40,45).

Ruth although she was more an immigrant than a refugee, took a mature approach towards her new environment by her willingness to assimilate into the Jewish culture stating, “Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16).

God’s kindness to us should guide our thoughts and actions towards those living as strangers among us. We are to follow His example of how He has graciously treated us, as foreigners or strangers even before coming to Christ yet now part of God’s community – strangers who have been welcomed in because of our faith in Him (Eph 2:11-13,19). Our ongoing perspective in this evil world is to “Live out your time as foreigners (those who don't really belong) here with reverent fear” (1 Pet 1:17).

We have an unprecedented opportunity to share the gospel with the surge of refugees coming to us, with many from nations closed to traditional missions yet enabling us to fulfil the mandate of Jesus to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Mt 28:18-20).