The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:34

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece reminding folks to breathe.

It’s good advice when for when we’ve got so many things going on that it’s hard to keep up. It’s also good advice when things are not going well, for you or for others.

The news from Los Angeles is frightening and disheartening. We’re used to living in a country with immigrants. They have become a part of our lives. When someone decides that some already here must go, it’s going to be problematic. We’re also used to living in a country where voices can rise in protest over injustice. People have protested on the right. People have protested on the left.

What’s a Christian response? It cannot follow a political script. Here’s mine:

Our nation has grown and prospered for hundreds of years through the hard work and good will of immigrants. We need a solution that helps us maintain our borders (like most nations do around the world) that doesn’t tear our communities apart. Border security, done well over time, will make our nation stronger. But throwing people out without due process? “Caring for the alien” requires caring. It’s a harder path and more work.

We’re not there yet. Please pray for our nation and pray for peace. Pray for protestors and for their voices to proclaim in non-violence. As you do so, pray for those called to quell the protests, for their safety and them to act as peacefully as possible. Where violence erupts, pray for the gentlest possible resolution for everyone.

This is my Christian response. Yours may be different. It’s okay, God still loves us. But sometimes God requires better of us. How will we get better if we can’t dialogue, learn and grow?