The Sojourner

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Ilona Brownson

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Aug 5, 2024, 1:54:44 AM8/5/24

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Thisissue needs studied in much more depth than I can do below. A book like Christians at the Border by Daniel Carroll or Generous Justice by Tim Keller is a good place to start. What I seek to do below is summarize a few over-arching categories for wrestling with the issue and then list some of the related biblical references.

God roots his commands for how Israel is to treat the sojourner in the fact that Israel was herself a sojourner. Because they were sojourners welcomed and loved by God, they should empathetically feel for the sojourner, welcoming and loving them. Just as God graciously cared for Israel in her wandering, so Israel is to reflect God in how they care for and love the sojourner.

God tells Israel to remember they were sojourners as motivation to love sojourners. God even calls them stewards of his land, and as stewards they are to reflect the priorities of the owner, in this case, hospitality to sojourners (Lev. 25:23).

Seems to me no matter the national/political policies, the People of God have an obligation to open the door to the strangers the poor and welcome them in to eat, to food/clothing/shelter/nursing/and love.