The Christian Response to the Refugee Crisis

The Middle East is in crisis...again. Wars and civil wars have the entire region in turmoil. Muslims are fighting Muslims, with Christians caught in the middle. Cities, towns and villages are being bombed and shelled, and entire communities are being displaced. Rage and hate are everywhere, with outrageous acts of violence and cruelty being performed in the name of Allah. In a culture where Allah and religion are a vital and integral part of every aspect of life, God somehow seems absent. 

Sadly, this is nothing terribly new for this region. It seems the Middle East has always been in turmoil, with wars and in-fighting being all too commonplace.

Make no mistake: the Middle East does not hold a monopoly on war, turmoil and hatred. Sadly, people all over the world are guilty of such crimes and cruelty. Lest we Americans think we are above such vitriol, it wasn't too long ago that our nation was torn apart in our own civil war, which was fraught with its own type of hatred, horror and cruelty. This hatred and violence continues to surface throughout our country, as evidenced by the recent spate of racial discontent in Ferguson and other communities. We are not immune or holier-than-thou.

All too often lost in the tragedies and destruction of war is the plight of those displaced by the fighting and violence. These are the refugees. "Refugees" is a rather innocuous word that masks the fear, hardship, despair and hopelessness that is being suffered and endured by men, women and children who are caught in the middle of unimaginable conflagration. These families are usually forced to flee for their lives, leaving all of their worldly possessions--and livelihood--behind, often with the knowledge that there will be nothing left to return to once the war is ended...if, indeed, it ever ends. Where are these people to go? They usually have no money and only the most meager of possessions, often just the clothes on their backs. Where will they go? Who will help them?

As Christians, what are we to do? Yes, we are rightfully concerned that this seemingly endless stream of refugees may contain those whom we have labeled "terrorists", people who are dedicated to causing fear, death and destruction in the name of Allah. Yes, we are undoubtedly concerned about the impact all of these immigrants will have on our economy, or job situation, and perhaps our own personal livelihood. Yes, we are concerned about having all of these non-Christians settle in our country and perhaps our area. How will this affect us and our country?

These may be valid concerns, but if we are Christians, we have to seek Jesus' answer, which is crystal clear. The New Testament (and, indeed, the entire Bible) is filled with exhortations to feed the hungry, care for the poor, and, yes, even welcome the foreigner. In Matthew 25, Jesus himself said, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger (aka, foreigner) and you invited me in. I need clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me ..." 

Notice that Jesus did not say that we only had this obligation for folks in our own community or even our own country. We don't get off the hook that easily. Rather, Jesus cast a very wide net. There is no restriction, no limitation on who we are supposed to feed, clothe and care for. Indeed, he specifically mentions that we are to do this even for strangers, for foreigners. The commands to care for others are not limited to this one passage, or even the New Testament. Indeed, there are dozens and dozens of such passages in both books of our Bible.

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3: 17-18.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people ..." Galatians 6: 9-10

"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." Proverbs 28: 27

"He (God) defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt." Deuteronomy 10: 18-19

These are just a few of the multitude of passages and verses that emphasize our obligation to feed the hungry, care for the poor and welcome the foreigner. For Christians, these are not simply suggestions; they are commands. Indeed, the famous parable of the Good Samaritan clearly teaches that everyone is our neighbor, not just the folks who live next door or look and think like us.

So, just what can we do? There are so many refugees from so many different countries, and they are a world away from where we live. How can I be sure any money I send will actually reach those people in need and not simply end-up in the pockets of some executive, or worse, a corrupt government official? What about all those other Muslim countries? Shouldn't they be the ones responsible to help? Why aren't they doing their fair share?

Again, these may well be valid concerns...but there are answers. Yes, other, more prosperous countries in the region should do more. However, their failure to act does not relive us of our own obligation. Christian author Craig Greenfield correctly asserts, "At the end of the day, God will not ask whether you helped more or less than someone else. God will only ask whether you sought to practice the way of Jesus--to welcome the stranger."

What about the "drop in the bucket" feeling of being overwhelmed by such an immense problem? Just how can you as a sole individual help? Of course, money can and does help. There are numerous respected, trustworthy organizations--both Christian and secular--that are providing assistance in the form of food, clothing, shelter, legal assistance and more. At the end of this article I list a handful of these organizations, all of which depend on the benevolence of donors to fund their efforts. Find one that resonates with you and donate. A lot.

Of course, those who can make the time and cover the expense can actually serve with one of these organizations. They are always seeking folks to be the "boots on the ground" to actually help serve those in need. In Luke 12 Jesus himself said, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

 In addition to the immediate relief our financial and service gifts will provide to those in need, we cannot discount the possible eternal benefits. What better way to demonstrate the power of Christ's love and compassion that by helping these refugees, most of whom do not know Jesus. Preaching the Word of God is one thing; demonstrating it is another, and far more powerful. Many of those who are recipients of our gifts of compassion will likely be far more receptive to the Christian message as a result of our caring. James 2: 18 says, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." There may be no better way to demonstrate our faith and God's love than by helping those in need.

Sometimes we are simply beaten-down by a world that seems to be filled with hatred. It is easy to resent those who demonstrate against us and insult our beliefs and our nation. It is easy to acquire the attitude of "to hell with them." Yes, that can be the easy path, but it is not the path we as Christians are called to walk. We are called to walk the path of love, compassion and empathy. We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are called to give generously, even when such gifts are to our perceived enemies. God's word is clear. If we call ourselves followers of God, are we going to obey?

Here is a brief list of organizations that are actively providing assistance to the refugees fleeing oppression and fighting in Syria and surrounding countries.

World Vision: http://www.wvi.org/syria-crisis/article/donate-now
Samaritan's Purse: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/how-were-serving-isis-victims/
World Relief: http://worldreliefdupage.org/refugee-services
UNICEF: http://www.unicefusa.org/
Doctors Without Borders: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
Hand-in-Hand for Syria: http://www.handinhandforsyria.org.uk/