I have had this idea for some time but it seemed especially appropriate after yesterday. I love the organization Doctors Without Borders. Here are some excerpts from their Charter.
MSF provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters, and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed, or political convictions.
Members undertake to respect their professional code of ethics and maintain complete independence from all political, economic, or religious powers.
Clearly people who choose to volunteer with this organization agree that the first lens through which they look at people is that of medical compassion regardless of who that person is.
Whether you realize it or not if you claim to follow Jesus you are part of an organization that perhaps we could call Christians Without Borders. Our first (only) allegiance is to Jesus and what he called the Kingdom of God. Jesus makes it clear that the first lens people who follow him must look through as they view the world is that of love for neighbor. Neighbor is a category that doesn’t view people as undocumented immigrant or refugee.
Jesus was not a political activist nor does it seem to me that is the role of the Church. However by following Jesus’ teaching, Christians and the Church will be subversive by default. His teachings intersect with political issues but not in a partisan way as if a political party can claim Jesus. By acting out and speaking out with the love of neighbor that Jesus made the centerpiece of his “political platform” (Sermon on the Mount) we will address political issues in deed and word. Perhaps the best current day example of a person in influence who attempts to consistently act and speak this way is Pope Francis.
Politicians and government will continue to do what they do, usually from a different set of priorities than the Bible presents, but the Church and Christians need to act and live out a different value system. The first lens through which we view the world and form our priorities is not as an American who recognizes borders but as a follower of Jesus who sees no borders…Christians Without Borders.
danthebookman 