Focus 2020 – The Great Commission: Perspectives from LeadersSample

Strangers in Our Land  

Bible passage: 

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:2 

Devotional: 

In the U.S., 44.7 million people are foreign born. Twenty percent of the Canadian population is foreign born. Globally, immigration and refugee numbers have grown and there is little indication that this is going to slow down. One cannot practically avoid encountering immigrants and refugees today. Consciously or subconsciously, we all have a reaction when we see someone that falls within this category of "stranger." 

How do we, as the Body of Christ, directed by God’s Word, address the increasing challenges and opportunities before us due to the influx of immigrants and refugees into our own countries? How does our attitude toward these strangers fit into our understanding and fulfilling of the Great Commission? 

As humans, we see the world through a grid of accumulated knowledge and experiences that form our presuppositions. It is a fact that presuppositions, both positive and negative, about the ‘strangers in the land’ will, to a great degree, shape our response to them. The media is all too eager to form these presuppositions for us. 

For example, if we perceive those coming from other countries to be: 

· A raider in our work force 

· A financial burden to our country 

· A danger to our religious beliefs 

· A disturbance in our educational system 

· A carrier of strange and dangerous diseases 

· A threat to our security 

…then our treatment of them will most likely tend toward the negative. If this is the starting point of one’s thinking, it will be difficult, but not impossible, to move toward a Gospel response.  

Consider a different set of presuppositions. If we perceive these same people to be: 

· Created by God with a soul that has eternal value 

· Worthy of our love as we love ourselves 

· In need of love, friendship, and safety 

· People who long for a relationship with God 

· Those to whom Jesus commissioned us to take the Gospel 

...then our treatment of them will most likely be Gospel-filled. 

It is imperative that believers make an unwavering commitment to respond to the "strangers" in a way that reflects biblical values, brings hope to those in need, and fulfills the Great Commission. The next time you encounter one of these strangers, prayerfully consider what fuels your response to them. You never know; they might be an angel. 

Quote: Ultimately, we will do well to embrace the presence of immigrants and refugees by aligning our response with the Gospel rather than political rhetoric, emotionally charged tirades, or culturally driven reactions. 

Question: What is your response when you come across immigrants in your neighborhood? 

Clint Morgan 

General Director, International Ministries