Psalm 146:7b-10

“The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.” vs. 9

We live in an era of “stranger danger.” It’s one of the first lessons we teach our children…if they don’t know someone, they should regard that person with deep suspicion. Once that message has been drilled into us, it can become standard operating procedure, and affect our general attitude toward any outsiders. The current admonitions to report suspicious behavior in our neighborhoods, thereby preventing terrorist attacks, only fuels our skittishness. Organizations like Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services are facing ever greater scrutiny amid the demand for more stringent vetting procedures. Some leaders are saying that those who have risked their lives in fleeing war and repression should be forbidden entrance to our country. Today’s message from the psalmist reminds us that we have a God who watches over strangers and who upholds widows and orphans. Obviously we care deeply about our children and want to limit their exposure to danger, but sometimes our protectionist instincts keep us from being God’s chosen instruments of relief in this turbulent world. How sad it is when those strangers, who are genuinely suffering and hurting, face closed doors when they turn to us for safety and security! Surely God has higher expectations of us!

Thought for the Day: What kind of people arouse suspicions in me?