Foreigners Among Us: How Scripture Teaches Us to be Welcoming in a Divided Nation
The conversation on immigration has been ongoing for years in our country and has become even more contentious in 2025. One of the things that fascinates me is the response of Christians who cite their faith then argue for opposing policies. There are many Christian voices arguing to welcome the stranger while others contend foreigners should only be welcome if they do not break the laws of our land. As Christians how are we to think about this?
First, I want to root our conversation in the Bible and use the lenses of tradition, reason, and experience to inform our thinking. Deuteronomy 10:18-19 says, “He (God) defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt." I don’t know your family’s story, but I will speak about my own. I am a descendent of immigrants who fled the violence and poverty found in Poland because of World War 1. Many people, regardless of race and cultural heritage, have similar family stories.
What does God’s love “of the foreigner residing among you” look like in our country now? How do we remember that we too were once foreigners? I think we can explore these questions through a recent news story about the Episcopal Church and the federal government. Click here to read the letter from Bishop Rowe of the Episcopal Church explaining the decision to withdraw from government partnership after 40 years. Click here to read the larger story as reported by the BBC.
I don’t pretend to understand which refugees need the most help around the world but I do feel that the call of Christ is to help people experiencing the negative effects of sin experience the positive effects God’s shalom (peace/wholeness).
I encourage us to remember, there are many in our community for whom these conversations about immigration and deportation have direct impacts. I have heard stories of people in our local community being deported as well as others who live in fear of family members being deported. How do we respond to that as followers of Christ? Throughout the Bible there are countless examples of welcoming the stranger and the foreigner. Abraham, Moses, Ruth, David, Jesus along with his parents and Paul all received welcome as foreigners. How do we allow their stories to inform how we welcome the strangers and foreigners in our midst? I’m encouraging all of us to think first theologically before we allow ourselves to think through our cultural and partisan lenses.
Come Holy Spirit allow us to be people that welcome others the way Christ has welcomed us. If you’d like to talk further or share your story, I’d love to hear it. Please contact me at PastorMike@SpringChurch.org.
