WEDNESDAY’S WORD – XENOPHOBIA – Sadell Bradley 11/30/16

Dictionary.com has deemed XENOPHOBIA the 2016 word of the year. Events like the recent US election, Brexit, and issues on immigration were cited as reasons for the prevalence of this word. XENOPHOBIA a word that first appeared in English during the 19th century, is a noun defined as “fear or hatred of foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers. It can also refer to fear or dislike of customs, dress, and cultures of people with backgrounds different from our own.” Other dictionaries include the ideas of having or showing an intense or irrational dislike, hatred or prejudice of people from other countries – or a fear of what is perceived to be foreign or strange. These divisive attitudes toward ‘the other’ are nothing new. It seems in our sinful state we are constantly looking for reasons to ‘pedestalize’ ourselves and express hostility at worst or at least a mild aversion to those unlike us. That’s why Scripture is replete about how we are to engage ‘the other’ and ‘one another.’ God has command us to love. 

“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34). Unless you’re Indigenous Indian in the US, we are all immigrants.” Cursed is anyone who misleads a blind person on the road…Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.” Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!'” Deut. 27:18-19)

Jesus taught about the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. The compelling question, “Who is my neighbor?” is met with the answer, “The one who showed mercy.” This man picked the poor and wounded stranger off the street, bound up his wounds and paid his bills during his recovery.

Jesus identified Himself with “the least of these” in Matthew 25: those who hunger and thirst, the stranger that needs to be invited in, the naked, the sick and the prisoner. In fact the distinction between the sheep and goats: those who will inherit eternal life vs. those who are destined for eternal punishment, is whether or not they love ‘the other.’  Christ commands His disciples contrary to the practices of popular culture: do not retaliate or even resist an evil person. Turn the other cheek. Go the extra mile. Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors. In this way we show ourselves sons of God. (Matt. 5:38-45) Jesus lived and died for his haters.

But Sadell, it’s dangerous. I don’t know what ‘they’ are going to do. I don’t either. But if I decided to live xenophobic as an African-American woman in this racist and misogynistic environment, I would just hold up in the house. Scripture is preeminent. Our citizenship is in Heaven. (Phil. 3:20) We are foreigners, strangers and pilgrims in the earth. (1 Peter 2:11) Our affections, worship and attention are to be set above and not on the earth (Col 3:2). Paul and Peter had to deal with their personal issues with ‘the other’ in the conflict between the Jews the Gentiles.  Peter required 3 visions from the Lord to be able to engage the ‘unclean’ Gentiles. (Acts 10:9-16) Paul’s life had to be transformed to write in Ephesians 2 that God’s ultimate intent through Christ was to end the ethnic hostility by dying on the Cross, speaking peace to each side, and unifying those who were formerly opposed to create One New Humanity. Unless you were born Jewish, that would mean you and I would automatically be excluded from the covenant of promise through Jesus! but we’re included!  Aren’t you glad God is NOT XENOPHOBIC!