Shared Experiences, Shared Hope

[Jesus said to his disciples,] 16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over …  

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. …

26 “So do not be afraid of them… 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:16-31, excerpts

Christians in America don’t often think about serious persecution—the kind that involves betrayal, exile, and death. We have had peace and freedom to follow Jesus for many years. But history tells us that it’s common for Christians to live with persecution at some level, and Jesus himself tells us to expect it. This world is not our home.

If we think about this, it is easier to understand a little of what refugees and many other immigrants are going through. In my own Vietnamese family, for example, there are people who can never go home again, even as visitors. They would be killed. They miss the places they grew up, the language they spoke there, the foods they ate. But that land isn’t home anymore. 

As Christians, we can reach out with love and care to people who share so many of the same experiences our fellow Christians have had around the world. We can keep in mind that we, too, have no permanent home here. Our hope and our home are in Jesus—who gave his life to set us free from evil and bring us into God’s family. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has given us a home forever in God’s kingdom. Let’s share that Good News with new Americans!

Dear Lord, take care of those who are suffering, and those who have painful past experiences that still hurt them today. Help us to care for them with your love. Amen.

By Dr. Kari Vo