Stranger Danger September 15, 2013 Read: Deuteronomy 10:17-22 Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (v. 19 NKJV) My wife once worked at a preschool where a colleague made it her solemn duty to make sure that every child knew they should not associate with strangers. Obviously there is wisdom in warning children not to hop in a car with anyone with a smiling face and a lollipop. But this woman took things a little further. To the kids, she labeled almost everyone a “stranger” and followed this with the chant, “stranger danger, stranger danger!” I wonder how this might affect these children as they grow up. How do we begin to love those who we have been told are dangerous? A few years ago I spent time traveling in Russia. One day we found ourselves in an area of small cities and villages filled with displaced people, many from the Middle East. One afternoon the sky began to pour rain, and our group had nowhere to take shelter. Then from an alley door an older man with a kind smile beckoned us in. He was a devout Muslim, but he welcomed us into his home and offered us shelter, tea, and bread. We asked him, “Why did you help us?” He replied, “I know what it is like to feel unsafe and out of place.” I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’ question from the parable of the Good Samaritan. “Which of these do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man?” (Luke 10:36). Prayer: Lord, teach us to look past our assumptions and judgments and extend your grace.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 14:21:59 +0000
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