There are so many things going around on facebook right now about "Taking America Back". And the fundamentalists are all about keeping God in America. My sweet, precious grandmother is one of them. I don't know how to break it to her, America is not God's chosen people.
Oh gosh, I know some who read this are getting really, really angry with me right now. But hear me out. "If my people, who are called by my name..." That was not a prophetic utterance about the United States of America. It was about his people. Those belonging to him. Romans 8:16 - the Spirit testifies that we are his children. By the work of Christ on the Cross. Not by the work of our Founding Fathers.
I totally understand and agree that our welfare and immigration systems are completely broken and jacked up. I get that. I know they need lots of reform. But to hear Christians in the name of Christ say that we need to cut off these illegals who are "taking all our jobs and getting freebies" makes me ill. As in sick and angry. To hear the church say that all those poor people need to "get a job and get off drugs" ticks me off.
Let's go to the Scriptures, shall we? Deuteronomy 10:14-20
"To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today. 16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. 20 Fear the Lord your God and serve him."
The church has forgotten the fact that WE ARE ALIENS. We were naked, hungry and sick and our heavenly father adopted us as his children. How can we then turn around and ignore the fatherless and foreigner?
And here's the kicker. The government shouldn't even be the ones taking care of the poor. It should be the church. The very people wanting to close the border and cut people off are the very ones who should be taking care of them, advocating for them.
I confess, I was one of them. Sometimes I still am. I don't get it right. There's a whole lot more going on that I've mentioned in this little post. But I think that when we look at the poor, no matter where they're from, and we feel no movement toward compassion, that's a red flag. Christianity is not the icing on top of the "Normal" cake. It should affect how we view everything around us. I need to repent too.
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3 comments:
Have you ever noticed that when a natural disaster strikes who are the ones that step up first to help a community...most of the time its the church or Christian organizations. I think you are very spot on. And it makes me sick too. The system is messed up but the government's answers to the problem is just as jacked up. I hate all the talk of "taking America back" stuff too cause what makes me so much better than the Mexican illegal? It's not. We're all sinners, all fall short and are all NOTHING without Christ.
It's called grace, and I lack in the grace department everyday! I always love your fresh perspective! Love you!!
Great post, my dear. The gospel is offensive and I long to be self-righteous.
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