Immigration

A friend wrote in and asked me to weigh in on immigration. 

Here are some random thoughts.  I love you all and I want you to know that we can agree or disagree and still love one another.  I have many thoughts on the subject....
Hold on, here goes.

1.  Separating families at the border is a bad idea.  Very painful.  In my opinion it should not be happening.

2.  Immigration should happen in a legal, planned, fair manner.  Clearly our system is and has been broken for years.

3.  Someone [Jeff Sessions?] quoted Romans 13 regarding immigration.  Romans 13 reminds us to obey the laws of the land.  Interesting that Paul wrote those words when the brutal Romans were the law of the land.  I agree that we should obey the laws of the land.  This scripture cannot be used to justify the separating of families at the border.

4.  Most of us know nothing about what happens at the border.  Who comes across secretly or who comes to the check point and asks for asylum.   We don't know anything about the process or the facilities to receive folks at the border.  I am sure that they are swamped and overcrowded.  We don't like what may be happening, but we generally know nothing about what happens at the border.

5.  I totally understand why so many people want to come here.  Have you been to Mexico?  To the back roads of Central America?  I promise you this, if you and I were living there, we would want to come to America.  We would want to come to the land of the free.  We would want to come to a place where we could be safe.  I love you.  I would swim any river or climb any fence to give my family such an opportunity. 

6.  Why were you born here instead of Mexico?  Instead of Russia?  Instead of Ethiopia?  American Christians need to be very careful about how we talk about others.  We were born here because we were lucky or blessed.  That does not make us better than others.

7.  Our economy would falter without immigrants.  Immigrants harvest crops, roof houses and work on lawn crews.  While some folks complain about "illegal immigrants" no one wants to pay more for the services that they provide.

8.  We need to watch our language.  There is no such thing as an illegal person. 

9.  Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus traveled to Egypt after he was born to get away from King Herod.  Jesus was an undocumented migrant child.

I do believe that immigration should be regulated and that people should come into any country legally.  However, our system needs some work and I pray that our congress and senate can resolve these issues.

Always remember that we are talking about human beings.
I love you all.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.  It's really beautiful if you live in America.
Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

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I am leading some trips this year and next. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

4 Night cruise from Port Canaveral to Key West and Havana, Cuba.
August 13-17, 2018
http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/cc18081318h17768#eotours

Wesley's Ireland with optional London Extension
October 8-17, 2018
http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/wesley-in-ireland-2018-with-rev-jeff-brinkman#.WqHrI7puLIU

Holy Land Tour - includes my favorite spots
with optional Jerusalem extension
March 4-13, 2019
http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl19030419g17768#.Wt84h7lRHcs