Is Closing Borders to Refugees the Christian Way?

By Korstellan (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

In 250 AD the world faced what we now believe was a Smallpox epidemic. Called the Plague of Cyprian, at its height the pandemic would claim the lives of five thousand Roman citizens per day. Those who could would flee the city in order to avoid death. One group stayed behind, risking their lives to take care of the sick. Their motive in the face of such a lethal situation was simple: love and compassion for their fellow man.

Compelled by love Christians fed those who were too weak to lift their own spoons. They risked their lives in order to comfort those who were suffering. History records their deeds, noting that they did not subject those in their care to a religious test. They took care of everyone, believer and pagan. With faith in God the Christians followed their convictions, loving their neighbors instead of choosing to run.

Today we are being asked to run instead of loving our neighbors. In the face of (a very real) terrorist threat the governors in over half of the United States are saying no to Syrian refugees. But if we are a nation based upon Christian ideals we should be willing to take risks, acting out of the same compassion shown by Christians many times before.

Is the danger real? Yes, just as it was for those who stayed to help during The Plague of Cyprian. But a great nation (and even more so those who put their faith in Christ) should show courage, standing up to lend a helping hand even if it means taking some risks.