Respect

There’s been a lot of talk in the news lately about the recent efforts of the U.S. Senate and Congress to pass an immigration reform bill. Most of this talk it seems is focused on a perceived need to grant citizenship to the foreigners who broke the rules to either enter or remain in this country illegally. We are asked to pardon the initial trespass out of mercy for the conditions of the home country these people came from, or for the benefits these people are perceived to offer if they are allowed to stay within our borders. Anyone who disagrees with this amnesty is portrayed as out of touch and unsympathetic.

Ignored is the plight of the many other foreigners who followed the rules. Their path to citizenship will be untouched by the amnesty granted to rule-breakers. They will still be expected to pass the tests, learn the language, and pay the fees required to legally join this country while all the trespassers are given a free pass. The reward for doing what is right is to continue to wait in line while those who did wrong are taken in ahead of them, while we are criticized for disputing this process.

I’ve already outlined the Bible parallel to illegal aliens in a previous post, but with the recent new push it is time for another look from a different perspective…

The pro-amnesty groups would have us believe that these trespassers are basically good people, that their only crime is the initial one in which they illegally crossed our border, but beyond that one small issue they are model inhabitants of our lands. But the Bible teaches us to judge what is good or bad by the fruit (Matthew 7:17-20). So what is the fruit that these trespasser’s produce?

They are undocumented so they don’t pay taxes. They flood our job markets competing with legal residents and citizens for jobs. They enroll in public assistance programs competing with legal residents and citizens for benefits. Their children attend our schools competing with legal residents and citizens for teaching time. These are the big issues that the amnesty supporters would like us to overlook, but I think a look at smaller and more personal issues is even more telling…

I live in an area that is populated by a large number of these foreigners. There is a family who lives in the house right next to mine. They seem to be nice people, but there is a problem. Ever since these people have lived in the house next door, I have noticed that items of garbage mysteriously pass through the fence and come into my yard. Over the last couple of years these people have taken to raising chickens and I am constantly chasing the chickens out of my yard because they don’t keep them penned up, and the number of chickens they have and the fact they are breeding them is a zoning violation. The other day as I was taking my recycling to the curb I discovered some extra items had mysteriously been added to my recycle container.

Now I can, and do forgive my next door neighbors for these trespasses, but my point is that a people and culture who do not respect the borders of a nation will also not respect the borders and property of an individual, as has been clearly demonstrated by my foreign neighbors. This issue isn’t about one small trespass into our lands, it is about one large problem of disrespecting the people who live here legally.

Romans 13:7 - Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (NIV)

James :)