Called to Love

Tea ~ Citrus Soother

My heart has been so heavy this week. I can’t even breathe. I never thought I would see some of the things that my brothers and sisters in Christ have written. Disappointed? You betcha. I can see why our state leaders find it necessary to halt incoming refugees from coming into their respective states. Safety of their citizens. Honestly, I can respect that.

Here’s where it gets a little murky when it should be crystal clear. Do I want my family to be at risk for whatever repercussions come of taking in some number of refugees? Of course not. But that’s my flesh talking. If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, we should not be celebrating or repeatedly speaking out against allowing refugees into our country and bashing those who would like to see Americans be generous and humane. Because now you appear to be an American Patriot before you are a Christian. If you do not consider yourself a follower of Christ, this does not apply to you and you can stop reading here if you’d like.

If your argument is that we need to be helping our veterans and homeless before these refugees, the answer is because those homeless and vets are not, at this very moment, fleeing for their lives. And we are not talking about thousands of refugees, but MILLIONS. If you are at work, making money to provide for your family, do you not clock out to respond to a crisis situation if a loved one is having a medical emergency or was in a car accident, for example? Priorities can change when the dire need of a situation calls for it. And if you still feel that way, I pray your checkbook or work with your hands with those vets and homeless are there to back it up.

If you don’t want to see images of Syrian children drowned after a failed attempt to escape the dangers and imminent death that awaits them if they stay, yet you don’t want to give those displaced a place of refuge, I’m frankly, a little confused. Because it’s happening, whether you see it or not. We are desensitized to what is truly going on in the world today. I’ve heard this before from people in the work that I’ve done the last 4 years with human trafficking, many times, from believers and non-believers alike, that they do not want to see it. Well, you are effectively contributing to it if you do not want to see it. It’s happening to someone’s brother, sister or child, just not yours. Therefore, it’s not your problem. And those who are in the trenches working in this evil on a daily basis, the only reason we can sleep at night is because we tirelessly pray that we can both be sensitive and compassionate to those who are victims while at the same time asking God to protect our hearts and minds from the nightmares that we would surely have from hearing despicable story after disturbing act that was done to them. And human trafficking is a real problem for refugees – they are desperate, vulnerable and have no one else to trust. I assure you, that the only way I can sleep at night is by the grace of God and His protection. And God is faithful, we can trust Him.

When did we start thinking it was a good idea to ask the world how we should respond to every situation?

I keep hearing, “so what is the answer?” The only place we should be seeking answers is God’s truth. And how can we know what the truth is if we don’t read His truth, immersing ourselves in the Word? Or do we only look to the Word in order to call out sin in others’ lives when it is convenient for us? And calling out the sin of those who are not believers and do not want to associate with believers. How “loving” of you. The Bible is not the book of truth by which non-Christians live by, so why do we expect the same way of living & morals from non-believers as believers? The world will give you answers of the world and as we know, Satan runs rampant in the world.

“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” – 1 John 5:19-21

The divisiveness of this topic has revealed idols in the lives of Christians. When did we start valuing safety and our children/families over living out God’s greatest commandments?

““Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”” – Matthew 22:36-41

Why are we living our lives like we have something to lose? Christ died for us, once and for all. And those who call upon Jesus as Lord and Savior will spend eternity with Him. Are we confused about what that means? This world is not our home.

“Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”” – John 18:36

This is an opportunity to store up treasures in heaven and we’re still hoarding the “treasures” here on earth that aren’t even ours. NEWSFLASH:  everything you have or own, your children, resources, money and possessions, have been entrusted to you to bring glory to God. You are a steward. They belong to God. He gave them to you and He can take them away in a second. If you think differently, I’m sorry, but you are calling God a liar. Will you choose to be faithful with what God has given you as a manager?

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” – Psalm 24:1

“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” – 1 Timothy 6:7

When did loving others become convenient? Or easy? I could list verse after verse about how you will have trouble in the world, how you will be persecuted, how the world will hate you. It’s the truth! If you are looking for safety, security and ease of everyday life, this isn’t the path of a Christian. But there is 1 thing that should separate us from the world:

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.“ – John 15:13

There it is. There is nothing convenient or easy about that. I would lay down my life for any one of you, Christian or not. I would put my family at risk by hosting strangers. I do. All of my friends know they can call me and I will host anybody in my home. I host friends of friends in my home who I haven’t met, with joy! We’ve been in the process for months now of getting approval to host children with Safe Families. Is there risk involved and could we get hurt? Absolutely. But, there is a huge need and we have the desire to meet that need. I pray that you stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit and be generous wherever you can. Let our hearts not become hard to people and situations we will never understand.

I have no control over the number of my days. I have no control over whether refugees will come to my state or my town. But I have open hands. I’m trusting that God will protect me, my heart, my mind and my family. And if it is His will that something should happen, I will run into the arms of Jesus with abandon. This world has nothing for me. This is not a problem, this is an opportunity. An opportunity to love. I’ll take a few refugee families, I’ve been researching it this week, bring it on! I pray that you seek Scripture and ask God in prayer to protect you from fear and respond in love.

I was struck with the truth of these words and this song yesterday as I was seeking what to do or how to respond to this situation. “From the Inside Out” by Hillsong (link to youtube video):

A thousand times I’ve failed
Still your mercy remains
Should I stumble again
Still I’m caught in your grace
Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise
Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul
I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

Be encouraged!