Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Little Green Aliens

“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. "  Leviticus 19:33-34


This verse was part of my devotion this morning and when I read the commentary, I had to chuckle.  The writer was using the words alien and foreigner interchangeably.  The use of the word alien brought back a memory from the birth of my third son last year.  I went into labor 6 weeks early and was getting some preventative medication in the hospital.  It was then that I first saw them...little green aliens doing a line dance across the hospital room floor.  I can still see them even now and they are as real to me as the sweet baby boy I hold in my arms.

Our Lord is not referring to my little green alien friends in this passage, of course, but one must ask herself exactly how this applies today.  I've never been a foreigner in Egypt.  Have you?  But we were all once foreigners to God.  We were blocked from Him by our sin.  Jesus took care of that issue on the cross and once we accept His gift of salvation we are no longer strangers to God, but a part of the family. 

I bet each one of us knows of at least one foreigner in our sphere of influence.  Not the guy at the Mexican place or the one who speaks broken English down at the Gas-n-go, but the alien that may live right next door to you.  The one who doesn't know God.  That one.  Do you know one?  God tells us to love them as our self and treat them as native-born (or one of His own).  Is that your attitude towards them?  That would be a no for me.  I judge them and tend to look down on them for not believing as I do.  That is wrong.  I am rightly convicted and from now on will treat the aliens in my life like 'one of the gang'.

6 comments:

Phather Phil Malmstrom said...

Thank you Allison, for both the reminder and the chuckle! :-)

Have a Blessed Day!

Unknown said...

This is a good point. We shouldn't look down on anyone for any reason. We were all once strangers, apart from God.

Eileen said...

I think you've touched on a certain hidden pride issue that many might struggle with. We need to always be aware of our attitudes and how we treat those who are not believers.

Scott or Pam said...

Excellent reminder. Thanks.

Kelli said...

"we were all a foreigner to God. We were blocked by our sin." love that! Love it even more that Jesus unblocked that with his Calvary love!! You crack me up about the Mexican at the restaurant and the gas station attendant... Great message and loved reading tonight!

Heidi said...

Great reminder. I do have people like this in my life and it's easy to frustrated with them, but I just try to remember that God calls me to Love and it's up to Him to open their hearts to receive Him. When I get upset with them, I make it about me... as if I have anything to do with it at all!