LEVITICUS 19:33-34
A church encountered a challenge with several foreigners who began gathering on the church field every Sunday for a picnic.
There were a number of reactions to this. Some people were concerned about the mess that the foreign visitors would make. Others, on the other hand, regarded it as an opportunity to socialise with a group of strangers without even leaving the church premises!
During their day, the Israelites must have encountered similar problems. They had to figure out how to cope with the surrounding nations once they had arrived in their new land. God, on the other hand, ordered them not to treat outsiders any differently than they treated one another. They were supposed to love them (Leviticus 19:34). Many of His laws were directed explicitly towards foreigners: they were not to be harmed or despised, but rather loved and aided (Exodus 23:9; Deuteronomy 10:19). Hundreds of years later, Jesus instructs us to do the same: to love others as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31).
May we see people with God’s compassion and welcome, especially those who are different from us, realising that we, too, are ‘foreigners’ and ‘strangers’ on this planet (Philippians 3:20).
If we enjoy God’s love, then we have the key to loving others.
🙏🏼Lord, help us love everyone, especially the strangers who come from other places.
