All you need is love...

I got an email from a leader at a church I have visited in the past entitled "What if 20 million illegal aliens vacated America?" This was the second time I was on the mass list of recipients for such a type of email. It disgusted me. The first one did too, but this time I responded with the following:

Title of email: What if 20 million Christians loved the way Christ does?

My understanding of the Bible gives me a different view on immigration. I am a Christian, who happens to live in between some man-made lines on a map that declares this region as the United States of America. Many people were killed so that we could have more riches in this country and so that California could be a part of the United States.

I have heard it said, “If you had a choice when you woke up this morning, then you are rich.” Meaning, if you had a choice of whether or not to hit snooze, what to wear, what to eat, which bus/car/taxi to take, of whether or not to go to work or school, whether or not to use a phone to call a friend or use the internet, whether or not to drink a glass of water, then you are rich, because millions do not have these options.

I actually do know quite a few illegal immigrants that would gladly pay into social security (and any other taxes) if given the chance (i.e. make them legal and that possible). Many people that come here illegally, come here out of desperation. They risk their lives, they leave their friends and family, and they travel to an unknown land in search of a way to SURVIVE. They come here because there are no more options left where they live.

As a Christian, how could I dare to keep them out, when the Savior that I claim to love, welcomed them in. How could I dare to go against them, when my Savior is for them. In Christ there is no race, there is no nationality. HE does not recognize that imaginary line we drew across the land differentiating between the haves and the have-nots.

Luke 3:10-11
“What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.”

I don’t own a tunic, but I do own tons of clothes, a desk, a bed, a computer, printer, palm pilot, camera, books, and more. I’ve never known what it was like not to know where the food was going to come from. I’ve never feared not making the rent. I’ve always been loved by my family and of course by the Savior that I grew up knowing. And I should share. I am the over statement of the man that has two tunics. I live in a country where I can get an education, where I can get a job, where I can go to a soup kitchen if I don’t have food. I will not fight against other people that wish to share in that prosperity, that wish to feed their kids. [That is not to say that I think our system is perfect or that everyone is well taken care of, but it is better than a lot of places, and nobody is going to starve to death.]

Mark 7: 6-8
He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”

Patriotism is not what God had in mind for his disciples. Jesus spent his whole life teaching about love… loving people different from ourselves. Because of Jesus’ lack of patriotism, I get to know the love of my God. Jesus died for us all, not just the Jews, not just the Americans. American does not equal Christian.

Matthew 25
Jesus said,"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Galatians 3:28
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

I have brothers and sisters in Christ that are from across the border and are simply looking for a way to feed their children. There are others that have not come to know my God yet, and how will they ever know Him if I do not show them love but am only fighting to send them back to a place where they have few options for survival.

Luke 10:25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[a]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]"
28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho , when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Luke 12:48
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

My views might be radical, but I know a man that made way more radical statements than I:

Mark 10:21
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Matthew 7:12
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 12: 48
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Luke 14:33
In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Acts 2:43-45
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

James 4:17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

Philippians 1:9-11
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Rebecca Brown