Dealing With A Displaced People (By Gary Patterson)

 

Dealing With A Displaced People 

By Gary Patterson 

(March 7, 2024) 

 Through each week I have been watching the news concerning the conflict in the middle east. The pleas for a cease fire is tense and ongoing. The displaced Palestinians are struggling to survive, while Israel wages war on Hamas. The heart-wrenching wait and pleas of the families, for the release of their hostage loved ones is also a heartfelt ongoing campaign. 

I read that President Biden will announce plans to establish a port along the Gaza coast for humanitarian aid during his State of the Union address. Which today as I write this post, will be airing tonight on national television (March,7,2024) 

I have noticed on the news, that they have been dropping food into the region for the starving Palestinian people. But one news person said that it is just a drop in the bucket to what they need to survive. It would be better to have trucks make their way into the enclave. But Israel severely restricts aid from entering. 

Even though I disagree with the Palestinian beliefs, and their attitude towards America, I do feel sorry for the Palestinian people, and wish for this war to be over, so they can begin to live in peace, instead of being caught in the middle of a severe devastating war. There has been so much devastation and death, that it is hard to watch these people go through these horrific events. 

I belief that Israel needs to remember what the Bible says about their responsibility to refugees, and displaced people. I realize that as a nation they have been attacked by a malicious militant group, and to strike back is to gain justice is understandable. But at the same time, there is a people who along with their children are dying everyday. The Palestinian people are caught in the middle of devastating war, and definitely have no place to go!

 Here is what the Bible says about refugees, and displaced people. 

"Miscellaneous instructions in the Law of Moses — the first five books of the Bible — made sure foreigners were included in the Jewish community. They included provisions for them to be treated equally under the law and to be included in festivals and celebrations of the community. Cities of refuge were available to Israelites and foreigners in cases of accidental killing (Numbers 35:15). Foreigners were to be included in festivals and celebrations mandated in the Law (Deuteronomy 16:14; 26:11). Some of the tithes collected by the priests were to be used to not only feed them and their families, but also to help provide food for foreigners, widows, and orphans (Deuteronomy 14:28­­–29). Farmers were instructed to leave the gleanings of their fields for the poor and the foreigner (Leviticus 23:22). The command to care for the stranger was so embedded in the Law that it was used as the basis for how God’s people were to treat each other: Israelites were to treat their own poor as they would the stranger or the foreigner (Leviticus 25:35). Notice how these verses address the importance of meeting the needs of displaced people, particularly with regard to food. — whether it be due to their race, ethnicity, economic status, religion, nationality, gender, or other factors. For believers, this feeling can be an opportunity for solidarity with the displaced and marginalized — especially when we recognize that we too were once strangers to God’s kingdom but were welcomed in through the grace and mercy of Christ. In this way, the biblical commandment to welcome strangers becomes a powerful expression of our shared humanity and a reflection of the divine love that transcends all boundaries." 

(WorldVision.org-What Does The Bible say about refugees and displaced people?) 

Overall the answer lies in the person of The Lord Jesus Christ, who is: "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end."(Isaiah 9:6-7) When we all submit to Him, and follow His teachings on how we are to deal with one another; that is when we will have peace, not only for today, but forever. GP