“We Are All Strangers Here”

What God Requires of Us Toward the Foreigner and Stranger

From the beginning, God has reminded His people that we are all strangers here. Abraham, the father of faith, was a sojourner in a land not his own. Joseph served in Egypt, far from his family. Ruth crossed borders into Israel to find hope. Even Jesus left His heavenly home to walk among us as a man, and for a season, lived as a refugee in Egypt.

Spiritually, we are all foreigners, passing through this world toward an eternal Kingdom not made by human hands (Hebrews 11:13). No matter where we were born, the ground we stand on ultimately belongs to the Lord.

Even the lands we call home were once home to others. Before settlers arrived on these shores, Native American tribes walked this land, cared for it, and honored its rhythms. Every nation, every person, has a history of movement, migration, and change. In that way, we are all part of the immigrant story.

Because of this truth, God has made His command clear:

“The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” (Leviticus 19:34)

This is not a suggestion. It is not simply a political opinion or cultural preference. It is what God requires of us. When we see the immigrant, the stranger, or the foreigner among us, God calls us to remember our own spiritual wandering and to respond with mercy, compassion, and justice.

But how do we hold this truth alongside the need for order and law?

Romans 13 reminds us that civil governments are established by God to keep peace, enforce laws, and protect society. Nations have the God-given right and responsibility to secure borders and ensure safety for their people. Yet Micah 6:8 still speaks clearly:

“What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Justice without mercy becomes harsh and cold. Mercy without justice becomes chaos.
God calls His people to walk in both, upholding what is right while showing compassion to those who seek refuge, safety, and hope. This balance is not easy, but it is the way of God’s heart.

A Challenge for the Heart:

Guard your heart as you guard your borders.
Pray for your leaders but also pray for the strangers at your nation’s gates.
Defend law and order, but do not forsake mercy and compassion. For in God’s eyes, we are all immigrants, strangers in this land, waiting for our true home.

Heavenly Father, remind me that this world is not my permanent home. Keep my heart tender toward the stranger, the foreigner, and the one who seeks refuge. Teach me to walk humbly, to act justly, and to love mercy as You have commanded. May I never forget that I, too, am a sojourner on this earth. Shape my words, my actions, and my prayers to reflect Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.