Patriots
It's a beautiful day for a demonstration. I just walked to the New Capitol in Jackson and witnessed a thousand people demonstrating for a smart, compassionate, just immigration policy. They were cheering, praying and waving American flags, wanting nothing more than to be treated humanely and fairly in the land of the Free. God bless them, and may God lead us all.
If we are interested in becoming a moral nation, a holy people, with national policy driven by the Word and the Gospel, let us never forget Jesus' prime call to welcome and love the poor and homeless. Human migration is a reality as people seek nourishment for their families. We are rich and are responsible for welcoming those who knock on the door for a fair shake.
We have so far to go, but I'm reminded today of one of the most remarkable experiences of my adult life in Mississippi. Two years ago, on another lovely spring day, my wife and I sat in a presentation on the rights and plights of undocumented, Hispanic, migrant workers, delivered by a Black woman from Detroit, in the parlor of an antebellum mansion built by slaves in Natchez. She confronted rude questions and disrespect from the elderly son of one of our most notorious, racist political leaders from the past. I questioned him, too, right before he stormed out onto the plantation grounds for respite from the truth. I was proud to stand for a moment beside a brave woman serving widows and orphans, even as she has to struggle against her own oppression.
I'm blessed today to have heard Spanish prayers from the steps of Mississippi's Capitol. Keep this Day of Action in your prayers.
If we are interested in becoming a moral nation, a holy people, with national policy driven by the Word and the Gospel, let us never forget Jesus' prime call to welcome and love the poor and homeless. Human migration is a reality as people seek nourishment for their families. We are rich and are responsible for welcoming those who knock on the door for a fair shake.
We have so far to go, but I'm reminded today of one of the most remarkable experiences of my adult life in Mississippi. Two years ago, on another lovely spring day, my wife and I sat in a presentation on the rights and plights of undocumented, Hispanic, migrant workers, delivered by a Black woman from Detroit, in the parlor of an antebellum mansion built by slaves in Natchez. She confronted rude questions and disrespect from the elderly son of one of our most notorious, racist political leaders from the past. I questioned him, too, right before he stormed out onto the plantation grounds for respite from the truth. I was proud to stand for a moment beside a brave woman serving widows and orphans, even as she has to struggle against her own oppression.
I'm blessed today to have heard Spanish prayers from the steps of Mississippi's Capitol. Keep this Day of Action in your prayers.
posted by JRB at 1:03 PM
8 Comments:
It is a blessing to be in community (the Fellaship) with people who understand that the call of Christians is to more than the two Fundy soap boxes (gay marriage and abortion). The Scriptures speak volumes more about wealth and poverty, and the welcome and care for the marginalized (maybe I should use the OT language, the "aliens in your midst"), than about the two two banner issues of the Religious Right. This is an issue that should be close to the heart of Christians. Will we stand and join in prayer with these folks? After all, weren't our forefathers and foremothers aliens and strangers in this land once too?
(May we never forget from whence we came, otherwise we will be in danger of becoming like the Children of God in the Hebrew Bible, those who forgot that they were slaves who were delivered by Yahweh!)
There you guys go, on the wrong side of the AFA again. I keep getting Grassfire alerts (conservative organization that sends out e-mails ad nauseum about the scare du jour--a great way to raise money, I guess) about the illegal immigration crisis. I don't even know what they say, but I'm pretty sure I could tell you.
The illegals I have come across just want to work, and I'm thinking "what's wrong with that?" If my family were in the same situation, I may do the same thing. And the directions to the Hebrews on how to treat the alens in their midst has always rung loudly for me. But Eric, I think it is too late for most of us not to forget from whence we came.
The AFA! I didn't say that Mississippi was yet free of embarassing irritants. Are you subjected to American Family Radio in Searcy as well? They never fail to exceed my expectations, sadly.
I also saw beaten-up mini-van circling the Capitol with anti-immigrant slogans, such as, "SPEAK ENGLISH!" or "Real Americans Work - Go Home and Work There." I bet Jesus would like to have a word with that guy.
By the way, wasn't Jesus a refugee migrant in those early years? I bet the Egyptian Carpenters' Guild simply hated those undocumented Palestinian aliens.
Nice post; I'm jealous.
It's amazing to me when the same people who supposedly believe in capitalism and the power of the free markets suddenly ignore those beliefs when it comes to foreign workers and outsourcing. As long as there is a need for workers and people willing to come here to do that work, seems to me there ought to be a just, fair and rational way to figure that out.
Scares me whenever I hint towards agreeing with you, Jeff...
"If we are interested in becoming a moral nation, a holy people, with national policy driven by the Word and the Gospel..."
Do we have that interest?
You're surely correct that we need to be fair to people and look out for the poor and those that have hard struggles. I agree completely. I'm not so sure we can legislate those Christian values though.
I'd love to live in a moral nation populated by a holy people. But that won't happen until after Jesus comes back.
I find myself having little to no interest in the politics of our country. I just seek to love and care for people around me. Maybe that is a bad thing. It probably comes out of my severe apathy about political events that developed while I served 6 years in the Air Force. I'm not sure.
In any case, I guess I just don't subscribe to your conditional statement which means what follows is irrelevant to me. That is, since I know it will never happen, I don't necessarily want the United States to become a moral nation or a holy people.
That said, I think we could all heed the wisdom in Jerry Springer's (shudder) often used words: "Until next time, take care of yourself, and each other."
EL:
I have a fairly intentional theory about what good the government and political process can have for Kingdom purposes, and it's generally based in pragmatism. I think the government is good at some moral causes and worthless in others. Immigration policy and the economics of poverty are two areas in which the Kingdom can have great influence in the secual law and governmental functions. Homosexuality and abortion are two issues where I believe the government is ill-suited to have any positive effect.
I hate to keep referring to myself, but I wrote two long pieces on this a year ago. Check the April and May, 2005 archives for "The Separation of Kingdom and State," parts I and II for a little more insight. It's a work in progress.
Don't feel bad for referring to yourself. A wise man once said, "Why introduce other opinions into a matter, if your opinion happens to be the correct one?" (I just made that up and then quoted myself.)
I'll go read your archives and then recomment.
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