On The Syrian Refugee Crisis

SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS

The Syrian refugee situation has been in all over the news and social media recently.  I try to maintain an open mind, see all sides of an issue, and then make an informed decision.  I’ve seen all manner of arguments in favor of denying asylum to the Syrian refugees, including:

• How do we suddenly have housing and money for 10,000 Syrian refugees, but not for our 50,000 homeless veterans?
• I know not ALL Muslims are terrorists – only a small percentage are radical jihadists. But if I gave you ten grapes and told you that two had been injected with cyanide, how many would you eat?

I understand exactly where those who feel this way are coming from.  Believe me, I’ve been there. I’ve been solidly there for the last couple of months.  I would ask myself, “How on earth could ANYONE possibly think this is a GOOD IDEA???”

I understand now that this line of thought comes from a spirit of fear, and is not from God.  The bible tells us in 2^nd Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

What if the refugees do come in and attack us for being “infidels”?  Matthew 5:10 says, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

What if they even KILL us?  Read 2^nd Corinthians 5:8, where it says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  You can’t scare me with Heaven!

I believe the final arbiter in all decision making should be the inspired Word of God.  Search the scriptures and find what the Bible says regarding situations like this.  Pray beforehand, asking God to direct you to passages He wants you to read.  I’ve done this, and would like to share some passages from God’s word with you:

• Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy – Matthew 5:7 (KJV)
• You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt –Deuteronomy 10:19 (NIV)
• Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. – James 1:27 (HCSB)
• Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. – Matthew 5:42 (KJV)
• Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. – Ezekiel 16:49 (NIV)
• Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. – Hebrews 13:2 (ESV)
• Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?   Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. – Matthew 25:41-45 (KJV)

Don’t forget the story of the Good Samaritan.  Jesus tells of a priest and Levite who passed up a man in need, offering no help, and of a Samaritan who gave aid.  After the story, he asked the lawyer which of the three was a true neighbor, to which the lawyer answered “the one who showed mercy”.  Jesus responded by saying “Go and do likewise”. 

I urge you to search the scriptures on your own, asking God for discernment in order to formulate your own opinion.