Last month, I touched on the idea of what it means to work for God. We can each have different assignments from God, different areas of ministry that He’s given us to be a part of. But there are a few things too that He calls each of us to. I mentioned Micah 6:8 last month. Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. 

We’re meant to reflect God. To show what He’s like in how we treat others. Are we being a good reflection? Are we honoring Him in how we treat others? Are we loving our neighbors the way He commands us to? Jesus said in Matthew 22: 36-40 that all the commandments God has ever given can be summed up in two overarching commandments. Love God. Love our neighbor.

There’s a lot going on right now that doesn’t show a lot of love for our neighbors. People are being removed from their homes and their families under the guise of making our country a safer place, but all it’s doing is uprooting families and hurting the people God calls us to love. I live in America, so this is the perspective I’m speaking on.  

He said to care for the sojourners. Not to treat them badly because you feel like you can. Because someone gave you permission to. Remember that these are people. They have lives and families. I’ve seen so many Christians online commending the way that immigrants are being treated in America and I don’t understand where they see God condoning any of this. 

I normally don’t speak on politics here because I don’t want to be divisive, but I also don’t want to just pretend like none of this is happening. I’ve been thinking of writing this post for months now and kept putting it off, but then I’m just being silent and therefore condoning it in my silence. 

People love to use Jesus to prove the validity of their own ideas. How often, though, is Jesus touted by both sides of the political argument but lost in the middle? Let’s get to know Jesus again and see what it is that He calls for. Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Know what He says about how to treat people. He created each one of us, lovingly, fearfully, wonderfully. Purposefully. 

So this month, I want to just give you some verses to think on that speak on how God commands us to treat our neighbors. 

For starters, our neighbor is every person. Jesus gives a whole parable in Luke 10:29-37 showing a lawyer that it doesn’t matter someone’s nationality or proximity to you. We live on the earth together and that’s enough to make us neighbors. Jesus calls us to people with love and care. To treat them like people. 

Not one person exists who was not carefully and intentionally fashioned by God’s hands. God chose for each person to exist. He sent Jesus to die on the cross for each person. He loves and cares for each person.

God continues showing us, through Paul’s writing this time, that the most important thing is to treat each other well. To love others the way we want others to show love to us. 

Be concerned with how others are treated. Stand up for them when they need someone to. Look to the interests of others. Love one another. 

Even if you feel like you may have more of a right to be in the country than someone else, most of us had family who immigrated from elsewhere. And even if not, have you never felt like a stranger? Did someone come alongside you and welcome you in? And if not, I’m sure you would have wanted that. No one likes to feel like the odd man out. No one likes to be made to feel less than. 

Cultures and languages are amazing things. To see how each group of people in each time and place have interpreted the world around them. How they’ve allowed their surroundings to shape them as people. Why would you consider someone less than because they come from a different culture than you? Or because they look different than you or talk differently than you? God made each person. Every race and every culture. If you profess to follow God, please examine your heart to ensure that you’re reflecting Him as faithfully as you can. 

And if you’ve been hurt by someone professing to follow God and claiming that certain races are better or worse than others, please know that that is far from what the Lord actually thinks. He loves each person. He created each person. Purposefully. Intentionally. Lovingly. And I’m sorry if you’ve been negatively affected by any of the recent happenings.