What once seemed like radical promises during the campaign season have now become a reality. President Trump's most recent executive orders have begun work on a wall between Mexico and the United States, as well as banning people from every "Muslim" country from entering our own country. How can we support such acts of hate and intolerance with loosely based stereotypes and "alternative facts". As a Christian, it's heartbreaking to see those who identify as followers of Christ building walls and blocking fellow humans in search of safety and religious freedom.
We say we're "Pro-Life" but that doesn't just mean you are Anti-Abortion. Supporting life inherently means that you support all forms of life. Black lives, female lives, gay lives, unborn lives, White male lives, Refugee lives. America is by no means a "Christian" country. I can't say that we as Americans owe it to other humans to be decent, kind and loving, when our country is not. But as Christians we are called to love others. Scripture says to support the orphans and widowed (James 1:27), to help those in need and be a light to others (Matt. 5:16). It doesn't say to only love the people you like, or to only support the people who live in the same country as you. You can't just assume the worst in people because they have different beliefs or cultures as you. There is no fear in love (1 Jn 4:18). Rather than spreading fear and hate we are called to show love and light. This is no longer about supporting policies but supporting each other, fellow humans. Whether you align with the same party or practice the same religion matters nothing if we live a life ignoring the wounded and enabling hate to win.
America was founded as a refuge from intolerance of all kinds and the actions of our society don't reflect the ideas our country was founded on. But we can't expect lost people to act saved. As Christians we are hypocrites if we believe that refugees or people of any kind don't deserve saving when we are unworthy of being saved by Christ himself. And we look to the Cross. And look back down at our world of chaos forced to think how a wall and a ban don't mean safety at all.
