The Picture
The picture is making headlines, but I’m not going to post it here.
If you haven’t seen it, the picture is of a dead child holding on to her dead daddy’s neck as they died together trying to cross the Rio Grande.
You probably haven’t seen the picture taken hours before they died of the young mother, two toddlers, and an infant that died the same way.
I have books full of pictures of dead people from where these people are fleeing , but I won’t post them either.
I won’t post them because the end of a persons life doesn’t tell the story of the person or why they died as they did…it just strips away the last vestiges of whatever dignity they tried to live life with.
Cameras can’t capture the image of God on the deceased that can only be seen by faith.
I won’t post them because the objective in posting them would be to shame people and smear the image of God in them while trying to shine it up on me.
There are days when I wish America was a Christian nation.
Maybe then, Franklin Graham would call for a day of prayer for the souls of those dying to come here.
Maybe then, Greg Laurie and the rest of the “court evangelicals” would be trying to bring a compassionate, Christian perspective on this issue to the President and to their congregations.
Maybe then, those of us who despise this President would pray for him as we ought.
More importantly than all that, maybe we as people who claim Christ’s name would speak to each other as family and would seek the mind of Christ to bring the heart of Christ to bear on this crisis.
That’s not going to happen.
We’re not a Christian nation and Christians are separated by politics and tribe as much as doctrine or geography.
Some of us think Jesus would find ways to show great compassion to migrants, others think He would throw on a Border Patrol uniform and help round them up.
Our morality condemns abortion and homosexuality and sometimes people who die trying to cross our line.
Those who believe that Jesus is the God of the poor and oppressed are condemned by those who think He’s more concerned about the rule of law… and vice versa.
Our Christianity is about getting saved and keeping the law, or about extending the kingdom and sacrificial love, but rarely both.
We are starting to hate each other in Jesus name, amen.
We can’t hear each other anymore, nor do we want to.
We’re all just clanging cymbals that people floating face down in a river mercifully can’t hear anymore.
You would think that people full of the Holy Spirit could do better.
We can’t or we won’t.
They will keep coming, they will keep dying, and we will keep fighting with each other while they do.
Jesus wept.
The Spirit wrote Ichabod.
We noticed neither.
Make your own application…
FIRST, and amen!
I’m sure you will get the usual heartless push
back.
Thank you, Bob.
Pushback is all we know how to do these days…
Not the article I thought you were going to write.
If God will allow me I’ll give that a subdued Amen.
There has to be a way the church can alleviate this
Maybe we could start by putting our money where our mouth is
Perhaps there are already groups delivering donated beds and hygiene items?
I posted a comment on another blog a WHOLE YEAR ago and 7 DAYS AGO my comment was replied to in a hostile manner. On a Christian blog. Probably a believer who posted the hostile response. 358 days later. I am having a hard time not responding in kind, but I have decided not to reply at all because I don’t want to join the hate train that is running rampant these days. I’m tired of the hate and hostility in Jesus’ name too. I’m guilty of it as well.
Jerod,
Thank you.
I could write the article you were expecting…but that’s just preaching to one choir how awful the other choir is…we have enough of that.
Donations are being attempted and they are refused by the government.
Dan,
We have to find a better way…and it’s hard when the emotions run this high.
We make it all about us, not the ones we should be trying to help.
I’m guilty as well…
Should the church collective hire some Shecksteins to stand up to the little emperors?
Good words, Michael.
Thank you, Kevin…and God bless you for carrying this issue even when it hurts…
Jerod,
What we need is comprehensive immigration reform…but we won’t get it as solving this problem would take away one of the ways that politicians can divide us.
What a gut wrenching picture. It should make people on both sides of the argument stop and take pause. We should never let the argument become more important than the reality. But I imagine we will. So tragic…
Erunner,
I’ve seen hundreds of those pictures over the last couple decades…I wish they had the power to change hearts, but they just become weapons in the war…
I remember the letter that Archbishop Romero wrote to Jimmy Carter as “a Christian brother” asking him not to continue supplying the El Salvadoran army with weapons as they were being used against the poor in El Salvador. He received no answer. It seems as though calls on Christian values, empathy or simple compassion get swallowed up in politics. The pictures of a murdered Archbishop at the altar are forgotten, just as the picture of a little girl and her father will be… Money, politics and staking our position seem to count for more than people’s lives.
they just become weapons in the war…
That’s what makes me crazy about this. These poor parents and kids
are political ping-pong balls. I’m really sick of it. I don’t care so much
who’s to blame. We’re better than this..;.
We’re better than this… <<<
Alas, we are not. This is exactly who we are.
Dr. Russell Moore wrote a compassionate tweet about the children on the border. Nothing radical, just compassionate, like any decent human being, Christian or not, would write.
The lizard who runs Liberty University gave an extremely insulting reply to Dr. Moore. It was so terrible as to be nonsensical.
Are these people even Christians? Doesn’t being a Christian mean you have at least a few Christlike qualities? Or at least *want* to be Christlike?
American Christianity needs more Dr. Moores.
American Christianity needs more Beth Moores.
American Christianity needs fewer Roy Moores.
I don’t know what I can do to help. I hear any attempt to bring supplies to the camps are denied. It’s not about lack of resources, as the White House occupant claims, there’s plenty of resources. Shoot, if he just missed one trip to resort in Florida, that would pay for a lot of soap and blankies. It’s about punishment and it’s about getting back at the parents by being cruel to their children… those who live through the experience. If these kids were from Central Europe, where Trump sources his wives, I bet things would be different.
Xenia,
Well said…
“The lizard who runs Liberty University”
Full out belly laugh at that.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 Apparently not one of the “send them back” Christians have read this passage…since we obviously do not love those coming here for the same reasons our ancestors came here…We can not say that we are Christian and support what is happening at the border or in our cities…Jesus would have us feed, shelter and support the immigrants and the homeless in this country. Why are we such hypocrites? Well written Michael, keep beating the drums, perhaps one of these day we will hear.
I contend the lizard assertion. I would say more snake. 😉
If you want a more encouraging look at the opinions of Christians, look at the Twitter thread where Falwell cluelessly hit back at Moore. A chorus of ordinary Christians have slammed Falwell quoting scripture, logically rebutting his position and pointing out his hypocrisy. There ar not many voices in Falwell’s favour.
I think the President would sign the emergency border bill the Senate has passed but would not sign the bill that the House passed and the Senate voted down, that’s where we’re at in the political arena. It’s up to the House now. I think they go home in a few days so it would be good if they got something done.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/06/26/border-crisis-senate-passes-4-6-billion-border-funding-bill/1573674001/
If you want a more encouraging look at the opinions of Christians, look at the Twitter thread where Falwell cluelessly hit back at Moore.<<<
I agree, that was encouraging.
Greg Laurie huh?
This one’s for Mr. Laurie (from the prophet Amos) the next time he takes the pulpit of his mega-biggie in Riverside, after the ‘praise and worship’ band has done their sound check:
21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
A world in turmoil now? Much to grieve over? Yes! But
The more angry we get, the more the devil dances… the more we pray in humility and confidence in God, the more his knees knock…
If these are not THE perilous times, they are, nevertheless, perilous times
Just sayin.. just how it looks from up here… up the river. .?
I posted this on Facebook and thought I would paste it here as well. I don’t think Michael would mind.
WARNING!
This is a long post. Just be aware of this. I’m asking you to give some thought to what I consider to be a serious issue facing the Church.
It regards a hot topic that has many of us polarized. It is the subject of illegal immigration.
Generally I try to refrain from political discussion as my nature is to try and avoid conflict. In this case, I feel it would be wrong not to speak my thoughts on this to my brothers and sisters in Christ even if it may disrupt my personal peace!
I’m trying my best to simplify what I see as a fairly complicated and nuanced issue.
I see the fundamental issue arising from 2 very different mind sets.
The first is protectionism. I see this everywhere I look now. As an American culture we try to protect ourselves on all fronts from all negative possibilities. We value our own personal comfort greatly and will go to great extremes to avoid suffering and inconvenience.
I just saw a TV commercial trying to sell insurance for auto repairs! So now we insure life, medical costs, our home and our property including our cars! Again, self protectionism on display in American culture.
The second mindset is embracing risk to achieve positive outcomes. This would mean talking up causes or involving ourselves in things that place us in vulnerable positions.
Like being generous to those who might take advantage of us. Or even marriage. No guarantees from God that things won’t go horribly wrong there! Entering it we must take on risk. We do it because we feel the possible positive benefits outweigh the risks.
There are many other examples I could use but I’ll spare you. I think you catch my drift. The question for the Christian community is which mindset reflects the heart of God or Jesus specifically? I think the answer should be obvious.
It’s vulnerability and the acceptance of personal cost to benefit another. In the book of Hebrews, The writer says for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. It was for our benefit he was willing to pour out Himself in sacrifice. If we accept the idea that Jesus is our role model, it behooves us as Christians to follow His lead in our attitudes and behaviors. And if we do, like Him, there will be a cost in doing so. He told us this would be the case.
Where is the argument coming from that we are obeying the law because God asks us to do that? The American Constitution is brought up as some kind of a trump card (pardon the pun!) in the argument. I think it is based on being influenced by American protectionism, certainly not an understanding of the heart of God. I think the constitution is great BTW, and as a general principle we are to be law abiding. But we are under a higher law as Christians. When civil law contradicts following after God in obedience, we are to follow Him.
If Christians followed obeying the laws of the land as a hard fast rule, they would offer no pushback to abortion because it is legal, yet they do. It’s because they know the law itself is immoral and unethical. Jesus was tried illegally, yet he never stood up for his rights. He was on a mission from His Father and knew what the costs would be.
As a nation, we amended the constitution in areas were it was needed for heavens sake! Yes, it was a bloody battle, but we were able to end the evil of slavery. So, I know we can change the immigration laws as well. But somehow we will have to move into the proper mindset.
Protecting ourselves is not it.
I’ll close with this. Christians claim to follow the scriptures as a guide for life. They would do well to study God’s attitudes toward strangers, refugees, and the needy in the OT. Those attitudes reflect His loving concern, His welcoming posture, His generous, gracious spirt- His hospitality. And if we look at Jesus, his self sacrificing nature in the service of others is fully realized.
We honestly as the people of God in this country should be ashamed of missing the point of who God really is and what He expects of us. We need to follow Christ with a willingness to risk our own personal safety as He did. Otherwise, we end up following the world’s attitude to protect our “stuff”.
We have a reason to be ashamed of ourselves and our sense of entitlement!
We need to repent and seek to do the right thing in God’s eyes if we want to wear His name. And it starts with me.
AB. Well thought out, well said and on the mark with the heart of God and the core of the gospel driven Kingdom and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
AB,,
Nicely done!
Agreeing with victorious that A Believers post is well thought out and stated clearly… a good heart…
No political stance can or should claim to have God on their side… not since the N.T. Gospel replaced the O.T. directives… Jesus said “My kingdom isn’t a part of this world…”. So?
so i see the Christian being a good citizen where he lives in every way he can do so without compromising his walk with and in the kingdom of our Lord.
That said, i am pretty sure that God deals with nations differently than He deals with individual souls… If this nation loses its blessings, it will be because Redeemed souls have left their calling to be salt and light, perhaps OR it may be that Gods plan is moving on… Always moving on to God’s ordained conclusion.
All this to say, i guess, that at the present time we are not in charge of the world, nor does God tell us to be… Love our neighbor? We can do that – we’d better do that. But run the world? No, don’t think so.
I do think there are various reasons for why end times eschatology has been fading from the forefront of American evangelicalism. And I do think Trump being in office has been a contributor to that. I would imagine that when a democrat next gets into the White House, we’ll see at least some kind of spike in end times preoccupation.
So, Kevin H…
does that mean conservative, God-and-country types believe that with Trump in office, we’re already in the Millenium? 🙂
I remember when conservative Ronald Wilson Reagan was the anti Christ – 6 letters in each name.
So the conservative / liberal thing doesn’t hold up
Besides, the Pope is the anti Christ.
A Believer,
Thanks for sharing that post.
G-man,
You’re welcome. Pretty much compelled to share.
My ex recently asked me to loan her $25k to bail her out of credit card debt. Should I have given it to her because she asked? She already owes me about $2500 in shared expenses that I’ll never see. Or do I focus on taking care of my own family (our kids and me, as their guardian) otherwise I’m “worse than the unbelievers” for putting my/ our own home at risk?
Millions of immigrants have come here illegally over the years. Many return after making enough money in the USA to retire in their home country. Many obtain legal status, such as my ex’s family, who all came here illegally for economic reasons. Some of them became dual-citizens. My kids’ school would likely shut down or consolidate with another school if the government chose to really crack down. Nevermind the DACA kids, another cohort.
As a nation, we have chosen to accept millions of people coming and living here. No need to detail the interests of many sides or the hypocrisy politically. 3 republican florida governors have refused to enforce e-verify. How much is enough? Short of absolutely cutting out the “hook” that draws people here, like adopting very strict immigration hurdles and work requirements like Canada, what legislation is going to stop tragic instances like this other than just erasing the border and allowing unrestricted travel as it is between states? None. As long as there are restrictions, there will be those who risk their lives to surmount them.
in a time when little seems to have the capacity to reach my cynical, callous heart, the photo you cite rendered me speechless and brought tears to my eyes. Such needless tragedy. Such a horrific suffering. Such a shameful lack of leadership both within the Church and D.C.
The New Victor,
The real risk we are taking is that we continue our current policies and end up raising the next generation of terrorists.
The simple truth is that until we help make the places people are fleeing from livable,the migrations will continue.
We have helped destabilize the region and we’ve taken advantage of all the cheap labor and resources…we should drop the political posturing and seek real solutions.
“The simple truth is that until we help make the places people are fleeing from livable”
100% true. Bush 1 and Clinton tried to accomplish this with NAFTA, but that has failed.
I wonder if a Euro Union-type United North America would help. While politically impossible, in time I think it would raise the standard of living for the majority of Mexico. It’s tragic that so many of our neighbors live in abject poverty while we have so much.
NAFTA was a good faith effort that made the problem much worse.
I agree. I’ll admit I thought it would work.
My ex’s dad came here in the 80s, and received the Reagan amnesty. He brought the rest of the family here after the Mexican Peso crisis. They had land and money, though not rich. It was largely due to internal mismanagement and limited rebellion, but being an international economy, it’s hard to figure out the blame, despite internal turmoil. The Clinton administration bailed them out, in the self interest of the USA. A massive flood of economic refugees was a real concern. To this day, they don’t bank or trust banks (other than the mortgage). I felt like saying that the money (dollars) would be devalued no matter where it was, but I could understand the sentiment given what they went through.
The underground economy in my ‘hood is huge.