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To Ban Or Not To Ban?
Ryan Higgins, Vice President of National Engagement, My Faith Votes
February 11, 2017
Looking back over the last many months of electrifying and sometimes offensive comments made by many in the media and political spheres regarding the refugee issue, it is no surprise how the issue of the refugee and travel ban has become so emotional and sensitive. From a Christian perspective, it really is a difficult topic to navigate.
The confusion may seem to amplify the more we become informed. On one hand, we are challenged by the words of Jesus who commands us to invite the stranger in and care for her needs (Matthew 25:25-36). On the other hand, we see the level of carnage and terror that a few imposters can wreak on a nation from global terror attacks, and in that moment, we understand the biblical mandate of government to promote justice and restrain evil.
Despite the confusion and the complexity of the issue, one thing I am confident of is that most Americans, and certainly most Christian Americans, would welcome any legitimate refugee into America with open arms (through a responsible process). I’m reminded that Jesus Christ himself was a refugee and unwelcome by most and would eventually be killed by those who refused to provide him a refuge.
I am certain no Christian would decide to ban any person who would face persecution or death by a militant band of Islamic radical thugs.
I am also confident that, should your local community decide to accept refugees to live in the houses surrounding yours, you would want the government to exercise due diligence to ensure these refugees were not ISIS sleepers disguised as refugees, waiting for the perfect time to murder as many Americans as possible.
So to ban or not to ban that is the question – and I have the solution. My solution is the only solution I know that will work. I know it will work because it’s not really my solution at all, but is instead God’s promise.
“…if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:15).
Prayer is the core of the solution. Set aside your political bias…remove yourself from the equation (because even on our holiest of days, we are still just corrupted sinners)…and pray. Yes, lean on the Lord for His will to be done on this complex issue.
Two things happen when we pray. First, God will deliver. Prayer has brought fire from heaven, rescued an entire nation through a divided sea and even brought the dead to life. Trust the Lord to rescue the vulnerable into His saving arms and protect our country and its citizens. We can be confident in this…God is able.
Second, prayer emboldens our faith. It chases out fear and gives us the confidence to act. I am confident that when we all spend time on our knees for this issue, we will see more clearly how He is calling each of us to act on our faith and do what we can to love and protect the vulnerable ones in our midst.
It’s the solution that works: pray, think, and act.
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My Faith Votes— is a ministry that motivates, equips, and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. An estimated 25 million Christians who are registered to vote, fail to vote in presidential elections. My Faith Votes is on a mission to change this statistic by helping Christians act on their faith and vote in every election. When we pray unceasingly for our nation, think biblically about the issues, and vote consistently in every election the impact of Christians taking action from the local to the state and federal level will be unprecedented.
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