My father-in-law prays for everyone who comes to his house. Missionaries are like that.
He and my mother-in-law moved from Arkansas last November to the Nashville area to be near family. They purchased a great house, but it needed work on everything — plumbing, tile, carpet, wood rot and window replacement. Most of the people refurbishing their house are Hispanic. He isn’t sure about their immigration status. He hasn’t asked.
He certainly cares about immigration laws. My in-laws navigated Argentina’s immigration system for 30 years as missionaries with the International Mission Board. He believes people need legal residency, particularly in the United States.
Complex issues
However, he is content for our government to sort immigration issues while he and my mother-in-law serve everyone who enters their home, praying for them and looking for opportunities to share the gospel. That recently happened. A Mexican man for whom he prayed started asking deeper spiritual questions and came to saving faith in Jesus Christ by conversation’s end. I saw a text he sent my father-in-law several days later expressing exuberant joy for knowing Jesus.
My wife and I lived in three other countries as IMB missionaries, and we also dealt with immigration issues. I share my father-in-law’s view of immigration laws. Immigration, particularly unauthorized immigration, presents complex challenges. Our laws need compassion, clarity and enforcement. Secure borders and government acting in the best interest of the United States and its citizens should be non-negotiables. Laws help maintain order and safety in a society.
Dominating rhetoric
However, much of the rhetoric dominating conversations and social media is unproductive and divisive. Truthfully, none of us has any authority to enforce immigration laws. We are mostly powerless to impact the situation. Yet Christians are not powerless. We have unlimited spiritual resources to influence the present challenges for eternal outcomes. Employing those resources is our choice. It is also our responsibility. Engaging immigrants comes down to how we see them in relation to how seriously we embrace our relationship to Christ. That simple fact is, or should be, unimpeded by our politics.
4 ways to navigate the issue
Here are four ways disciples of Christ can navigate these trying days while faithfully following Jesus’ command to make His gospel known among the nations:
Pray. Pray for the president to have wisdom and lead justly. Pray for legislators to govern fairly as they protect the interests of our country. Pray for law enforcement officers to treat people with compassion and dignity as they enforce laws. Pray that internationals living in the United States will be spiritually open to the gospel. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send workers into the harvest that is literally at our doorstep.
Serve. Service begins with love, and love comes from building relationships with people of other skin tones and nationalities. See people, and see their needs. Jesus clearly defined who our neighbors are in the story of the Good Samaritan. He did not qualify service in that story contingent upon immigration status. He calls us to serve others in love as He served us all in love on the cross.
Proclaim. As you serve, preach. We will never alleviate the endless needs and suffering in this world, but we can address our neighbor’s greatest need which is hearing a clear presentation of the gospel that leads to being reconciled to the living God. Consider this: What if a significant number of the approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States were saved, baptized and set on the road to discipleship before they were deported? Think how exponentially the global missionary force would multiply with many of these going into countries which no Anglo-American missionary will ever be allowed.
Prudence. Think before you speak. Is what you are posting on social media regarding immigration destroying your Christian witness?
More importantly, is what you are doing, saying and posting reflecting the attitudes in your heart? Jesus talked about that too (Matthew 12:34).
Are Christians ready to respond?
Could it be that the reason so many of the world’s people have found their way to the United States – to Tennessee – is because God knows the only hope they have of hearing the gospel is from people who claim to know Christ?
Yes, we need enforceable immigration laws, and people coming to the United States need to abide by those laws. But will those who reach our shores seeking a promised land find Christians ready to seize divinely appointed moments to introduce them to the God who offers them the Promised Land?
That’s the calling before us all, but it is an individual choice, your choice. How will you respond?
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Chris Turner and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
