Illegals and Aliens
I've been thinking about the illegal immigrant situation in our country, and my closest personal interest in it comes from two situations. First of all, the Mexican woman who cleans my house is an illegal immigrant. I'm not sure how long she's been here, at least 4 years, maybe longer. We've never talked with her about her legal/illegal status until just recently when the whole issue came to the forefront of the media.
The second situation involves the pastor of the Spanish-speaking church that we helped to start. Our English-speaking church hired a Guatemalan pastor and his wife and paid for they and their three children to move to the US about 3 1/2 years ago, so that they could pastor our new church. They determined to do everything "by the book" as far as what they could legally do or not do in this country. Therefore, they didn't seek out jobs for several years, because that's how long it took for them to get their work visas. Our English-speaking church supported them during this time, and they lived with our own pastor in his house. It was a frustrating, lengthy period of time for them and they were so wanting to earn some money of their own, but couldn't until those visas were granted. I admired them and felt sorry for them at the same time.
Last week I called a friend who uses the same cleaning lady that I do, to see what she thought about this illegal status. Neither one of us wanted to be in violation of the law ourselves, so she called an immigration attorney about the issue. He said that he didn't think that it was a problem to have someone like that work for you and to pay them in cash, since it wasn't a full-time job, I guess. That eased my mind, because I was trying to figure out a way to tell my cleaning lady who had also become my friend, that I couldn't use her anymore.
I also spoke with our Spanish pastor's wife to get her take on the whole issue in our country. She works at a middle school now and she told me that many of the hispanic kids that attend her school were trying to get her to join the boycott slated for May 1, and they told her that if she didn't, she wasn't supporting the cause. She said that she just couldn't, that she felt an obligation to her employer, and was grateful for her job. She also told me that as far as the illegal immigrant issue is concerned, she feels that if you are living in a certain country, that you should abide by its laws. Period. Work only if you can do so legally, pay taxes, etc. I kind of thought that she'd say that, given that she and her family certainly paid a price for their convictions. She also said that they don't preach this from the pulpit (though she thinks that they have a number of illegals in their congregation), but if anyone asks them, this is their stand on the issue. And I had to agree with her.
So then, May 1st came and went, and Denver had the third largest rally of any city in the country. Very peaceful march, but it still stirred up feelings on both sides.
The next day I was working and had the radio on in the background when I heard these words: "What now after yesterday’s boycott by Hispanics do we surrender to their demands like some occupying force that has invaded and defeated us, or do we tell them this is America and we get to make the rules here?” Listening to the indignation in this man's voice, I remember thinking that this must be a joke. It sounded so inflammatory. The commentator continued with several points. 1) Close the border and keep it closed. 2) Require everyone here illegally to get a biometric identifier that can’t be forged or copied. 3) No more Spanish without learning English. 4) Employers that knowingly employ illegals should be slapped with a huge fine (maybe that would include me).
That was it. This was definitely not a joke. I made a mental note of it and continued on with my work.
About an hour or so later, another voice on the radio caught my attention. This voice sounded calm and thoughtful. The man was addressing the same issue, that of the illegal immigrants in the US. He said that we should consider the heart and mind of God if we claim to follow after him and that it might help to shed light on the whole issue if we try to find out what God has to say. Then he quoted this verse in the Bible, “When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 19:33-34)
I was surprised that the Bible addressed such a similar issue so directly. It wasn't identical, but it was similar. And apparently mistreatment of the alien was a big temptation. I'm sure that I've read that verse before, but it didn't mean anything to me then. The speaker went on to say that we should always remember that by nature, we're alienated from God, and that he desires to reconcile us to himself, through his Son, Jesus. To make us part of his family, to make us legal, so to speak, by trusting in his Son.
The contrast between the two commentators was striking to me, and made me see the issue in a whole new light. I actually felt differently about it. I think that it was the Spirit of God softening my spirit, reminding me about the loving heart of God. I'd been pondering this issue, muddling through the pros and cons of ways to deal with it, listening to politicians and pundits on the right and on the left. Obviously, there are no easy solutions out there, but it seems to me that to address any issue with an underlying spirit of love for people is more likely God's way of dealing with it than if we try to solve the problem from a position of our own righteousness, pride and entitlement. How can we presume to take that position anyway? After all, it was our "unrighteousness" that got us into trouble in the first place and our continued "unrighteousness" with regard to our own laws that's responsible for the mess we find ourselves in today.
The second situation involves the pastor of the Spanish-speaking church that we helped to start. Our English-speaking church hired a Guatemalan pastor and his wife and paid for they and their three children to move to the US about 3 1/2 years ago, so that they could pastor our new church. They determined to do everything "by the book" as far as what they could legally do or not do in this country. Therefore, they didn't seek out jobs for several years, because that's how long it took for them to get their work visas. Our English-speaking church supported them during this time, and they lived with our own pastor in his house. It was a frustrating, lengthy period of time for them and they were so wanting to earn some money of their own, but couldn't until those visas were granted. I admired them and felt sorry for them at the same time.
Last week I called a friend who uses the same cleaning lady that I do, to see what she thought about this illegal status. Neither one of us wanted to be in violation of the law ourselves, so she called an immigration attorney about the issue. He said that he didn't think that it was a problem to have someone like that work for you and to pay them in cash, since it wasn't a full-time job, I guess. That eased my mind, because I was trying to figure out a way to tell my cleaning lady who had also become my friend, that I couldn't use her anymore.
I also spoke with our Spanish pastor's wife to get her take on the whole issue in our country. She works at a middle school now and she told me that many of the hispanic kids that attend her school were trying to get her to join the boycott slated for May 1, and they told her that if she didn't, she wasn't supporting the cause. She said that she just couldn't, that she felt an obligation to her employer, and was grateful for her job. She also told me that as far as the illegal immigrant issue is concerned, she feels that if you are living in a certain country, that you should abide by its laws. Period. Work only if you can do so legally, pay taxes, etc. I kind of thought that she'd say that, given that she and her family certainly paid a price for their convictions. She also said that they don't preach this from the pulpit (though she thinks that they have a number of illegals in their congregation), but if anyone asks them, this is their stand on the issue. And I had to agree with her.
So then, May 1st came and went, and Denver had the third largest rally of any city in the country. Very peaceful march, but it still stirred up feelings on both sides.
The next day I was working and had the radio on in the background when I heard these words: "What now after yesterday’s boycott by Hispanics do we surrender to their demands like some occupying force that has invaded and defeated us, or do we tell them this is America and we get to make the rules here?” Listening to the indignation in this man's voice, I remember thinking that this must be a joke. It sounded so inflammatory. The commentator continued with several points. 1) Close the border and keep it closed. 2) Require everyone here illegally to get a biometric identifier that can’t be forged or copied. 3) No more Spanish without learning English. 4) Employers that knowingly employ illegals should be slapped with a huge fine (maybe that would include me).
That was it. This was definitely not a joke. I made a mental note of it and continued on with my work.
About an hour or so later, another voice on the radio caught my attention. This voice sounded calm and thoughtful. The man was addressing the same issue, that of the illegal immigrants in the US. He said that we should consider the heart and mind of God if we claim to follow after him and that it might help to shed light on the whole issue if we try to find out what God has to say. Then he quoted this verse in the Bible, “When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 19:33-34)
I was surprised that the Bible addressed such a similar issue so directly. It wasn't identical, but it was similar. And apparently mistreatment of the alien was a big temptation. I'm sure that I've read that verse before, but it didn't mean anything to me then. The speaker went on to say that we should always remember that by nature, we're alienated from God, and that he desires to reconcile us to himself, through his Son, Jesus. To make us part of his family, to make us legal, so to speak, by trusting in his Son.
The contrast between the two commentators was striking to me, and made me see the issue in a whole new light. I actually felt differently about it. I think that it was the Spirit of God softening my spirit, reminding me about the loving heart of God. I'd been pondering this issue, muddling through the pros and cons of ways to deal with it, listening to politicians and pundits on the right and on the left. Obviously, there are no easy solutions out there, but it seems to me that to address any issue with an underlying spirit of love for people is more likely God's way of dealing with it than if we try to solve the problem from a position of our own righteousness, pride and entitlement. How can we presume to take that position anyway? After all, it was our "unrighteousness" that got us into trouble in the first place and our continued "unrighteousness" with regard to our own laws that's responsible for the mess we find ourselves in today.
posted by Elizabeth @ 5:35 PM
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