On my heart has been the deep conviction of the Holy Spirit regarding how I view those who are different than me. Do I think biblically and in line with Jesus’ heart when I think of refugees, immigrants, those seeking asylum, Arabs (specifically Muslims), Democrats, Republicans (no, I don’t align with either political party), and others? In other words, do I view others the way God views them or the way I’ve been conditioned by news sources and political rhetoric not belonging in any pulpit? 

If our highest authority is the Word of God, we must submit our presuppositions and thought-choices to it over all other sources of authority and information. So, the question I’ve been having to ask myself, and the question that all of us who love and follow Jesus need to ask ourselves is this:

 Is what I think and how I feel about ‘them’ truly biblical?

  I’ve been broken-hearted as I’ve heard wonderful, well-meaning Christians talk about how they can’t stand Arabs. I’ve heard things like “let’s just nuke the whole place and get it over with” which makes me so sad. Jesus told us that we are to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us (Matthew 5:38-48).

  If we as Christians are going to adopt a mindset that says we should just go in and destroy anybody who tries to mess with us, then how will those people…

1) Hear about Jesus? Jesus desires that all should be saved and come to repentance. Guess what? That includes Islamic terrorists. That includes Arabs who are not terrorists but who live in Israel. That includes you and me.

  2) Ever have a clue that Jesus loves them? If all they hear from Western Christians is a rally cry of destruction, war, and hatred, how are they ever to be saved? And yet our Lord told us that He desires that they would be saved and that we are to go to them in love and make disciples – not make target practice.

I fear that we as Christians in the West have adopted a mindset that has more in common with our government than our God. Do we realize that God is not an American? Do we realize that the agenda of God’s Kingdom and that of America are not the same? Do we remember that God couldn’t care less about our geopolitical ideals – He’s into saving people! The Gospel and the Kingdom are what matters. NOT our (or any nation’s) political agenda.

As Christians, our obligation is to glorify Jesus and present Him to this lost world. That means EVERY people group on the planet – not just the ones that are friendly and agree with us. “He came to His own, and His own received Him not” – what did He do in response? He loved them perfectly and died to atone for their sins. We students are not greater than our Master. We are called to follow in His example by loving the nations.

If we continue in this unbiblical and ungodly mindset, how will our children and future generations ever have any desire to evangelize the hard-to-reach peoples? They’ll just want to bomb and kill them rather than love and reach them with the Gospel. That’s so wrong. Lord help us.