LoveEveryoneAlways – Refugees and Immigrants Too?
Love refugees and immigrants everywhere, always?
My church has been pushing the theme #loveeveryonealways lately. Does this apply to refugees and immigrants? Donald Trump and his followers say no, if doing so puts our security at risk. Are they right? Franklin Graham seems to think so, tweeting earlier this week, “God does tell us to help the strangers and those in need; but God doesn’t tell us to expose our cities, homes, and lives to hostile people.” (There’s a fallacy there: the assumption that strangers and those in need are all “hostile people.”) On the other hand, Christian leaders like David Platt (Intl Mission Board/Southern Baptist Convention) question something even more basic, expressed in his question, “Where have we gotten the idea that Christianity is devoid of risk? Security in this world should not be prioritized over proclamation of God’s Word.”
So who is right? I’m personally inclined to side with David Platt here. I don’t think anything in the Bible supports the notion that we should only show love, can only proclaim God’s Word, if doing so doesn’t threaten our safety.
Surprisingly, I think the Reformed theologian John Calvin (1509-1564) has something to speak into this. (I’m not a Calvinist. ?)
Calvin talks about the importance of determining the INTENT of the Law for proper interpretation of the LETTER of the Law. The example that he uses is the 6th commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” Calvin presents the case that the intent of the commandment is respect for all human life, as God’s Image Bearers (Imago Dei):
I hold that it moreover means, that we are to aid our neighbour's life by every means in our power. And not to assert without giving my reasons I prove it thus: God forbids us to injure or hurt a brother, because he would have his life to be dear and precious to us; and, therefore, when he so forbids, he, at the same time, demands all the offices of charity which can contribute to his preservation. (Institutes, Bk 2, Ch 6, Sect 9)
I agree. I don’t think one can be truly “pro-life” without accepting and supporting the responsibility to welcome and care for the stranger. Yes, the Biblical injunction to love everyone always includes contributing to the preservation of the lives of refugees and immigrants. We need to figure out how to manage the security risks in ways that allow us to do so.
On Valentine’s Day 2017, show some love to everyone, including refugees and immigrants, always, everywhere.
? Note: the Valentine featured at the top of this post is 96 years old. It was sent to my Grandmother, Zelfa (Fisher) Jaycox on February 14, 1921. ?
