God is calling for us to care for strangers
Dislike of the unlike is as old as humankind.
Ask anyone within the Abrahamic faith traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and you hear ancient and recent stories of faith formed on the run from tyrants, empires and civilizations that wished them dead.
Whether in the Bible, the Quran, or the headlines of the day, all the stories eventually pivot from running away to facing the enemies. They change direction from fear to faith. Stories of terror turn to acts of compassionate care for the widow, the orphan and the stranger.
The spiritual leaders have had their backs against a wall during their lifetime. Against all odds, each rises to lead and to model compassionate care.
Moses lives most of his life in exile – as a stranger in a strange land – yet rises to save his people in slavery.
Jesus flees for his life as a newborn exile in Egypt and dies on a cross as one persecuted and killed for his love of all humanity. Nevertheless, he rises to bring a new way of salvation for all people.
Mohammad is an orphan and faces multiple challenges in his early life, and yet he rises as he is chosen by God as a messenger to all people.
In the Bible, Jewish and Christian scriptures call for caring for all who are outcast – especially the widow, orphan and stranger, who are mentioned specifically 103 times. In the Quran, special care for the widow, orphan and stranger are expected from all followers of the straight path.
In a powerful piece written 14 years ago, entitled, “Loving the Stranger,” the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks reflected on the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and the call to care:
“The Torah asks, why should you not hate the stranger? Because you once stood where he stands now. You know the heart of the stranger because you were once a stranger in the land of Egypt. If you are human, so is he. If he is less than human, so are you. You must fight the hatred in your heart as I once fought the greatest ruler and the strongest empire in the ancient world on your behalf. I made you into the world’s archetypal strangers so that you would fight for the rights of strangers – for your own and those of others, wherever they are, whoever they are, whatever the color of their skin or the nature of their culture, because though they are not in your image, says God, they are nonetheless in mine. There is only one reply strong enough to answer the question: Why should I not hate the stranger? Because the stranger is me.”
In central Ohio, we are blessed with people and organizations of all faiths who care deeply for the widows, the orphans and the strangers. One of my favorite faith-based organizations is Jewish Family Services, which serves the entire community – not just those who are Jewish. Many of the refugees who come from across the globe are served by Jewish Family Services.
Tariq Mohamed is JFS’S director of New American Services. He was born in Somalia in East Africa. While a child, his whole world came crashing down and America took him in as a refugee. Out of his experience, he has dedicated himself to rescuing others as he himself was rescued.
Tariq says, “I know exactly how people feel. I know, when they arrive, the food tastes weird, the language is strange, people talk too fast, and when you make a call, a computer answers instead of a person. It is all so completely foreign.
"But I have come to know and admire the Jewish community who welcomed me and are making a way for so many others. They have modeled for me what it looks like to come as a stranger to a strange land and then to rise and shine and embrace the land and the people as your own. My soul is fed by seeing people 10 years into this new land graduating from college, living in the suburbs and succeeding so beautifully.”
The Afghan refugees are coming; some already are here. Soon, Ukrainians will be settling in. They will join us, as other widows, orphans and strangers have come here from the east, the west, the south, and the north across the generations. Let us welcome them and make room for them in our community.
As a person of faith, God is calling me to do this. The stranger in each one of us is calling us to do this, too.
The Rev. Tim Ahrens is senior minister at First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Downtown Columbus.
Keeping the Faith is a column featuring the perspectives of a variety of faith leaders from the Columbus area.