loving (all) the least of these

7/1/2016

We're officially the subject of the local paper op-ed. You can find this letter to the editor in the Radford New Journal. Our Steering Team is already composing a response. You'll find that in the RNJ soon enough.

There's plenty of reasons from financial, logistical, social, and even foreign policy perspectives that suggest resettling refugees is not only something that we're able to do well, but that it's right thing to do as a community. My purpose here, though, is expressly theological.

Matthew 25, some of Jesus's last words before his crucifixion, remind his listeners that what "you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me," and conversely, "when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me."

Every human is created in God's image (see Genesis 1-3), no one more so than any other. We're all deserving of care, assistance, and relief from tragedy (see Amos 5), no one more so than any other. We're all sisters and brothers of Jesus (see Matthew 25), and when we offer compassion to those on the lowest societal strata, we serve both them and Jesus through them.

This applies not only to Christians, but to people of all faiths and no particular faith. This applies not only to Americans, but to people who call other countries home and whose nations have been wrenched away by violent extremists. The call of Jesus sends us to embrace not just those who are like us, to relieve not just those who share our religion, to support not just those who are our allies, but to pray for those who persecute us, to overcome evil with good. What better response is there to a destabilized international community, caused in part by our own government's actions and in part by other governments who seek to seize and retain power, than to face that evil with the good of relief for the refugees created by such violence?

As I told a concerned citizen on the phone last week, it isn't my job as a pastor to just protect Christians. It's to offer good news in word and deed to all people. I'm not called to love Christians more than others, but instead to offer Christ's love to all, with whatever needs they bring, whether Muslims (or Christians) from Syria, Buddhists (or Hindus) from Burma, or Christians, agnostics, atheists, and all others who already call the New River Valley their home. So, we'll continue to work with partners like Beans and Rice and Bobcat Backpacks to provide relief to the hungry here. We'll continue to work with the Women's Resource Center to provide a place of safety and a new start for victims of relationship violence. We'll continue to welcome refugees. We're financially able to do this as a community. We've got connections in the housing and job market already lined up. We've got a community that believes its welcoming, and an opportunity for them to put that into practice.

Most importantly, as people of faith, we've got sisters and brothers of Jesus who've become the least of these due to circumstances beyond their control. Bound together in the God who created us all, we share spiritual DNA with these people, Before us, Jesus lays a harrowing reminder: what you do and don't do for the least of these is your very same response to me.

In the words of one of our forebears in faith, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

This post originally appeared on friartucker.org.

8 Comments

terrence lynn camp

7/4/2016 10:20:19 am

Pastor I spoke to you on the phone last week in reference to the refugees that you want to bring to Radford. I told you that I am agnostic and you were very pleasant. I have other questions in reference to funding the refugees that I would like to talk with you about at your church. What would be a good time for you?
The best way to reach me is to text or call at 540-320-3107. I will answer the phone "Arrow can I help you" that's my small business.
Thanks Terry Camp

Andrew Tucker link

7/5/2016 11:31:39 am

Good to talk with you today, Terry. I know we don't see eye to eye but I appreciate being able to have civil and healthy discussion with you.

7/5/2016 07:48:39 pm

We both want to do good. You want to do something good for some one you don't know. I want to do good for the people I know. Can you do the good that you feel without using other people's money?

7/5/2016 08:13:30 pm

Terry, you're mischaracterizing what we want and what I've said to you on the phone. We're very interested in doing good for people we know. We're already actively doing that through emergency assistance as well as partnerships with the local clothing bank, food pantries, Women's Resource Center, and others. We're interested in extending that help to others.

I think you misunderstand how the tax dollars work for refugee resettlement. The money is already allocated out of federal and state taxes. The question is whether it's spend in our community, which will happen via necessities like rent and groceries if refugees move here, or in other communities. None of that is "other people's money;" rather, it's the tax dollars that collectively belong to our state and country, whose laws designate that money for this kind of expenditure. We don't all get to decide how our tax dollars are used individually, but as a country we elected officials and passed laws that collectively place that money to certain uses. Refugee resettlement is one of them, and is a much smaller portion than things like national defense. In this case, we can do the good that we're called to do in ways that our nation has deemed an appropriate use of our mutual funding and that won't increase local tax burdens. That's a win-win, especially as it brings those tax dollars back into our community and allows us to provide relief.

terrence camp

7/5/2016 09:13:00 pm

I feel you are good people wanting to do good things. The issue I have is with theft. We (including myself) steal from children (national debt) our military (intentionally slowing services to our vets because we overspend) and finally stealing from the elderly (ss checks have not been adjusted for inflation be cause all politicians are liers cheats and thives)The national debt is 19 trillion and growing. Don't be fooled by political tricks about deficits getting bigger or smaller. LOOK AT DEBT. GOING UP OR DOWN? You know the answer.
Please do good works. Take the money out of your pocket and do good. Don't take out a credit card in the name of other people (thoes people are the ones we are passing the national debt to).
If taking money from other people for your charity without there consent is ok, then teach your children to steal.
Our country is not the wealthiest country in the world.We run a printing press and obligate children to pay for our good works. Let's do what my favorite president did. ANDREW JACKSON (a democrat) paid the debt off. And please history buffs I know Jackson had other issues. But I don't see how telling young children we sold your future for our good intentions is a good thing.
I know all of the politician's will lie to us. I don't trust any of them. Please, let's not lie to ourselves about over spending.
Love you and do good with your own money. You will feel better about yourself. Don't trust ceaser (democrats or republicans).

James Simpson link

7/4/2016 10:46:31 am

I don't know which is more outrageous, being lectured on our "Christian" duty by atheists (i.e. the refugee resettlement industry that is largely radical Left), or pastors who misuse Biblical teachings to lecture us about it, when they are also a big part of the taxpayer-funded gravy train. Let's be clear here. It is not our Christian duty to INCREASE the problems in our already drowning communities so a few non-profits and church groups can line up at the government trough. The dishonesty and hypocrisy of posts like these is simply stunning. The author's only refuge is ignorance, and if that is the case, he should examine the utterly destructive resettlement program before he begins lecturing us all on our Christian duty. This program is destroying communities. The refugee contractors relentlessly resettle more and more refugees each year, leaving them on the dole to fend for themselves and dragging the community ever deeper into debt, high unemployment, low wages, public housing shortages and cultural clashes. Americans are the most generous people in the world. The U.S. resettles more refugees than all other countries combined. Don't tell us our Christian duty. We have been taken to the cleaners over and over again by people pushing that phony mantra, who wrap themselves in the mantle of "compassion", all the while engorging themselves on federal grant dollars, entrenching their agendas in our communities, and laughing all the way to the bank.

7/5/2016 11:54:26 am

Thanks for reading, James. Obviously we don't see eye to eye. I think it's important for you and other readers to point out a few facts and points of disagreement in the discussion.

- What you refer to as the Refugee Resettlement Industry is actually largely faith-based nonprofits who represent a spectrum of religious and political beliefs, from Lutherans (Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service) to Catholics (Catholic Charities) to Evangelicals (World Relief) to the incredibly ecumenical Church World Service. They don't make a profit (they legally can't), so there's no gravy train to note. No one gets rich off of refugee resettlement. You can see the public budgets of these nonprofit organizations at will. Just ask. Further, these contractors only resettle in communities where they've consulted with the Department of Social Services, the Department of Health, and local resettlement partners in order to make the process as beneficial as possible for refugees and established community members.

- I'm not a part of any of these organizations, and wouldn't make any money on refugee resettlement. You likely still disagree with my interpretation of scripture, but that's understandable.

- It is our Christian to serve God before money (Matthew 6:24), so I'll always do my best to use money to help people. This doesn't increase problems. It just puts resources into perspective.

- I've examined the program because I interned with World Relief and helped to resettle refugee families in North Carolina. It's not destroying the community; in fact, refugees are a celebrated part of the community because they bring unique perspectives, personalities, and skills to compliment the needs we have in the U.S.

- If Americans are the most generous people in the world, this shouldn't be a problem, and since Scripture constantly calls us to be a people of compassion, I'll wear that mantle any day.

- My refuge isn't ignorance, though I've always got much to learn. Along with Martin Luther, the forebear of faith who founded our church, my refuge is God, who is clear over and again in Scripture that we're called to welcome foreigners, immigrants, and refugees. 1 Kings 8 even goes so far as to say, "do everything the immigrant asks. Do this so that all the people of the earth may know your reputation and revere you." That's the kind of people we're called to be as a church and the kind of passionate, committed faith we're called to live.

7/6/2016 08:56:52 am

James Simpson made a valid point about non profit organizations. They the none profits do receive tax payers funds. Andrew please continue to do good work without tax payer funds. Ceaser's yoke on the people that still pay taxes in USA is heavy. Please help us with this burden. All churches should pay taxes like like the over burden taxpayers do. But they don't. Do good things with your money Andrew. Don't let Ceaser manipulate you.

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