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| We or our ancestors were all immigrants at one time |
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Aug. 28, 2011
Background Scripture: Ruth 4
Devotional Reading: Philippians 1:3-11
There is an as-sumption throughout our country today that one is either for immigration or against it. Like many issues, these are not so easily solved one way or the other.
Fears are not entirely unfounded. Immigration will change the various balances in our country, but that has been true from the beginning of our nation. In the very beginning it was assumed immigrants should only be British. That stricture didn’t last very long. Then there were fears occasioned by immigration by Germans, Swedes, Dutch, Italian, Jewish, Chinese, Japanese, et cetera.
Each time there has been a cultural or national influx, Americans have been concerned about what it would mean to the makeup of our country. These are understandable concerns, but contrary to the historical ethos of our nation.
Indeed, Native Americans were equally justified in their concern with the original British immigrants and Latinos in our Southwestern states could claim that Americanos were immigrants to what was first New Spain, and then Mexico. Our newest concern is with the wave of Islamic immigrants, and that is doubly a matter of concern since 9/11.
Who’s a sojourner?
With the background of both Old and New testaments, I believe it is not enough to be either for or against immigration, but to concern ourselves instead with the details of how we can meet the changes and advantages these immigrations may present.
It is just as illogical to be against all immigration as it is to believe that we should forget about controlling our borders, maintaining what is essential to our American culture and finding the best ways and means of assimilation.
The Old Testament presents us with an interesting phenomenon. The Hebrews strongly resisted the dilution of their religious and secular culture. Although both their religion and culture were often influenced by neighbors and sometimes conquerors, regardless of change upon change, they strove to remain Jews, uniquely the people of God.
So, although wary of alien influences, they retained their traditional hospitality to aliens and sojourners: “Love the sojourner therefore; for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt” (Deut. 10:19).
Naomi’s relatives and friends in Bethle-hem began by accepting Ruth the Moa-bitess and ended embracing her as family. That is a very human experience. I remember well the family crisis that erupted 70-plus years ago when one of my paternal aunts announced to her Pennsylvania German parents that she wanted to marry an Italian-American man she had been seeing! But, in time they got to know him, not as an American of Italian parentage, but as Gino, a favorite son-in-law. They learned to see him not as “one of those immigrants” but as a person of value.
Tradition upheld
Boaz was respected in Bethlehem because in proposing to bring a Moabite alien into his house as his wife, he honored the customs of his people and the Hebrew law. It was customary to transact official business at the city gate.
So, Boaz asked to meet there with the legitimate next-of-kin to Elimelech, because according to Hebrew law of Levirate Marriage, this man had first call on Elimelech’s estate and his wife, Ruth. (See Deut. 25:5-10). When this unnamed kinsman of Boaz and Naomi decided not to use his option, Boaz was next in line.
An alien would be accepted and at the same time the law would be upheld. It would not be a case of either/or, but of both. Could that not also be the case with our own immigration issue: Not either/or, but both? Instead of win/lose, could it not be an occasion for win/win?
Don’t miss Ruth 4:13-22, for here is recorded a startling fact regarding Ruth’s marriage to Boaz: “… the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son” (4:13), a sign of God’s favor. The son of Boaz and Ruth would be named Obed, who would have a son named Jesse, who in turn would have a son named of David.
Thus, Ruth – the alien Moabitess – became the great-grandmother of David, the King of Israel. |
| 8/25/2011 |
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