15 Jun Brief Thought About Border Crisis

Dear Friends,

Like you, I’ve watched the news cycle and images of the brewing crisis at our border.

It is a difficult situation, no doubt, and I hope to encourage us all to think about this situation (and every situation) as citizens of heaven first, and citizens of our nation, second. That, after all, is our clear call from Scripture.

What is less clear is how to handle a complex situation like what our nation faces with respect to the issue of immigration. And yet, no matter what, our response as people cannot be the separation of children from parents. Using this kind of threat as a tool to enforce border security is not the kind of humane course of action that we as a people should make.

I would hope that the best parts of who we are would prevail in a moment like this, and not responding with the forced separation that history shows us is not something that either helps the situation, nor is looked fondly on by posterity. In short, this cannot be the answer.

Furthermore, as you have likely heard, certain passages of Scripture have been used by some of our nation’s leaders to justify the indefinite separation of children from parents. Our elder team’s position on those thoughts is that they were unwise at best and inaccurate at worst. While I appreciate our leaders’ efforts to consider the Bible’s wisdom for difficult decisions, what was said and used, I feel, was a mischaracterization of those passages.

That being said, regardless of how we arrived at this moment, the reality is that there are currently hurting people and children affected by this, all of whom are made in God’s image and many of whom are likely our brothers and sisters in Christ. In particular, these children, more or less in our backyard, face an incredibly challenging position and are in need of help, to the degree we are able to give it.

This Sunday we will be taking a moment to pray for all those involved in the situation. God, the Bible says, is an ever-present help in time of need, and we should believe that to be true.

We are also searching out some responsible organizations with whom we can partner, and intend to communicate that to you next week. I am sure you can appreciate the need for vetting the organizations with whom we partner, particularly in a church like Mosaic, and for the need for clarity of thought in a moment like this.

The main purpose of the writing and sending of this is to let you know we are aware of what is happening and communicate our hope to be a source of help to it as the days unfold.

In the meantime, if you have strong feelings about the border crisis, I would encourage you to make those thoughts and feelings known to our elected officials. Involvement from Christian people can only help those in positions of vulnerability.

I hope to see you Sunday as we pray as a people for God’s grace and wisdom and heart for the world.

Morgan