Jesus’s family had to flee when he was a young boy. They ran away from home and found refuge in Egypt. He knew what it meant to be an immigrant. Maybe that is why Jesus challenges his followers to look outside ourselves for those around us, for those who might be in transitional situations, and in circumstances that could be caused by systemic poverty or war or gang violence around the world.
Whether you wish to move or are forced to flee, it takes an enormous amount of personal courage to start life all over again in a different place. You have to learn new streets, look for a job, find a good doctor, and navigate things like how to buy food at a Piggly Wiggly instead of an open-air market.
For those who have never moved away from home, it is hard to comprehend what it means to be a stranger somewhere. But as Jesus followers, we are called to love others as ourselves, which means putting ourselves in our neighbors’ shoes and extending the love, grace, and welcome we would want for ourselves.
Today as we go about our daily routine, let’s challenge ourselves to welcome a stranger. Here are some small ways that we can begin to engage the unknown people around us:
1. See your fellow human, and smile a hello.
Between cell phones and busy schedules, it is easy to get in a hurry and not look at the people that pass us on the street, at school, in the grocery store, or on the subway. Be intentional and look up at the faces that cross your path. Each face is a heart with hopes, dreams, worries, and fears. Each face has a Savior that loves them dearly and wants his followers to love them, too. See them and smile. It’s a simple gesture that can go a long way.
2. Learn to say hello and thank you in something other than English.
No matter your city, there are people in your town from different countries across the world. My guess is you engage a few weekly. Take a few minutes and search for how to say “thank you” in your shop owner’s language. You are in his or her space; be a thoughtful customer. If you don’t know what the word for “thank you” is, then simply ask. Even if you mess up, the effort will be appreciated.
3. Offer to help.
Learning new streets in a new city is hard, but navigating in a second language is confusing. If someone looks lost, they probably are. Ask if you can help them find where they they are going. If you can’t help, at least they feel like someone welcomed them that day.
4. Do the obvious.
Pay attention to those around you. Perhaps there is a crying child, a locked car, confusion or rudeness at a checkout counter. Be a good neighbor: distract the child with a goofy face, offer to call your AAA, or gently intervene for a tired clerk. Then repeat step #1: Smile.
5. Be brave.
Most of us are good people doing our best to take care of those we love most in the world. Try not to assume that everyone who seems out of context is working some angle. Go through steps 1-4, and then pray for the courage to do the right thing. Be kind.
Jesus said in Matthew 25:40 that “when you do this to the least of these, you have done it unto me.”
Take heart in knowing that welcoming the stranger is also an act of worshiping the risen Savior.