Leviticus 19:33-34 ESV
“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.Malachi 3:5 ESV
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.Jeremiah 7:5-7 ESV
“For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.Ezekiel 47:22 ESV
You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.Hebrews 13:2 ESV
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.Post a comment on your thoughts about what these scriptures are telling us to do.
they tell us to accept strangers in our hearts. but what if they tend to cause issues? what if they are the recurring plague of our lands? then what? should we accept them as brothers? it seems to leave a lot to open interpretation. almost as vague about the other side as a fortune cookie is.
ReplyDeleteI think it tells us to try to make others feel welcome. To create space, even when we feel there isn't any. My family jokes about the times we went to see my aunt and uncle and my mom and I ended up sleeping under a piano. Sometimes it isn't that there isn't enough space but rather we aren't willing to be under the piano for a night or two.
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