Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on Lina AbuJamra’s personal blog in December 2014.
Our country is partisan on so many issues these days.
The latest divisive issue is the issue of immigration reform.
What should the American government do with the millions of undocumented residents of the United States of America?
Many of these undocumented residents currently form the work force in our country, and many of them have had children here in the US. They go to church where we go, and they shop in the same stores we shop in.
Last week President Obama presented 3 steps to make the immigration system more just. The president’s speech in which he delineates his plan for immigration reform can be found here.
Many have strongly opposed the president’s plan. While I don’t agree with many of President Obama’s initiatives, I believe his plan for immigration reform is necessary and reasonable. Here are 4 reasons why we as Christians should care about immigration reform:
#1 We are People of Grace
This is obviously a short 500 word blog post that doesn’t even claim to be able to address all of the nuances of every angle of the argument for or against immigration reform. What I will remind you as a follower of Jesus Christ is that President Obama’s plan is about grace: undeserved favor to the millions of illegal immigrants who currently call the United States home. We of all people ought to love and understand grace.
#2 We are People with very Few Rights
We all talk about rights: the right to vote. The right to have health care and education. The right for freedom. As citizens of the United States of America, we resent outsiders having the same rights, yet we forget that Biblically speaking, we have really only been given 1 right: the right to be called children of God in Christ Jesus as explained in John 1:12.
#3 We are People of another Country too
We all get so caught up in our citizenship, don’t we? As a first generation immigrant from Lebanon, I can’t tell you how much pride I felt the day we became citizens of the United States of America. And every time I fly back into the US from a foreign country, I feel my chest swell with pride as I whip out my American passport. As awesome as it is to be a citizen of the United States of America, there’s something even better coming for us in Christ: we are aliens here on this earth, people who are awaiting their citizenship in heaven. That ought to impact the way we think about land and country, shouldn’t it?
#4 We are People of Salt and Light
Over 11 million people currently live in the US without the right permission to be here. That’s a whole lot of people if you ask me. That’s a wide open mission field if you ask me. How about instead of working to kick those families back to their lands we began loving them in the name of Jesus? How about if we opened our eyes and saw the fields ripe with harvest?
So what do you think? I’d love to hear your perspective on this issue. Leave a comment and remember that even the most polarizing discussions can maintain a spirit of love and Christ like unity.
Lina AbuJamra is a pediatric ER doctor who loves Jesus. She writes books, has a weekly podcast on iTunes, and loves to tell people all over the world about Gods love and the reality of hope no matter what. You can visit her blog, or find her on twitter (@linamay), Instagram (labujamra), Facebook (Living with Power Page), and iTunes (lina abujamra). Please note that the views expressed do not necessarily represent those of everyone associated with G92 or any institutions with which the blogger may be affiliated. We are always looking for new guest bloggers. If you are interested in writing a guest blog, contact blog@g92.org.
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