From the Zebra Bag   Musings from a follower of Jesus, husband , father and pastor

A great deal of ink has already been spilt on the current refugee situation by authors more eloquent and qualified than me. However it has struck me in reading  the positions of so many of our politicians and pundits that they really should not surprise us. Surely they are just what we would expect from a culture that has  firmly concluded that there is no God, faith is futile, and that reason and logic are the governing factors. I am not for one second suggesting that it is only those with faith who are committed to reaching out to the desperate and displaced but rather that, without faith, there is little in the framework of logic and reason to cause them to do so. The pursuit of logic and reason drives one inexorably to enlightened self interest which, fueled by fear, causes us to do anything we can to protect ourselves. Hence we hear impassioned proclamations of the need to keep away from us anyone or anything that might cause us harm and that to do so is the only responsible course of action.

My struggle however is with those who profess a life of faith and yet espouse a position that reflects this  fear rather than compassion. For those of faith, there is a God who voluntarily placed himself in danger, paying the ultimate price just to provide hope for all those, through the ages, who have routinely rejected Him.  A God who promises to protect and provide for us regardless of our circumstances. He calls us to follow him in reaching out unconditionally to those who are lost and helpless, offering them hope just as he has done for us. The challenge and responsibility for those who follow Jesus is so clearly set out in the article from Relevant Magazine and, of course, there is no logical reason to act this way. But how can we not reach out in love when we have ourselves received such amazing, selfless and unconditional love?

How is it then that we see such selfless sacrifice in  both those with and without faith? Could it be that there is, in each of us, whether or not we recognize it, a little of “the image of the invisible God” (Genesis1:27) and this results in a reflection of His character. It is my prayer that we will all, whether or not we acknowledge that”image” within us will continue to ignore the politics of reason and logic and open our doors and hearts unconditionally to those who so desperately need it