“‘和你们同居的外人，你们要看他如本地人一样，并要爱他如己 …。’” – 利 19:34
圣经中有些故事，是关于神的子民逃离家园在异地寻找荫庇的。亚伯兰和撒莱因饥荒到埃及寻找栖身之地（创世记 12:20），雅各和整个家族的情况也一样（创世记46章），以利米勒和拿俄米也曾这样做（路得记 1:1-2）。雅各在骗取了哥哥的长子名份后，他也要逃命（创世记 27:41-44）；当希律王差士兵杀害婴孩耶稣时，约瑟和马利亚要带着衪逃亡（马太福音 2章）。看到这些故事，发现神的子民被外地人接纳，我们便松一口气！
圣经也指导神的子民应怎样对待外人。利未记19:34清楚指出，外人和土生土长的以色列人应该享有同样的法律保障。外人是我们的邻舍，我们也要爱他们如同爱自己一样！
我们的世界，仍然是一个有无数人从一处逃亡至另一处的世界，为了逃避战争、饥荒、逼害、贫穷，数以百万计的人在逃难的路途中。在今天，我们有没有理由认为，神会吩咐衪的子民可以不按照很久以前的方式对待外人呢？
我们可以怎样向在我们中间的外人彰显神的慈爱和看顾呢？
祷告
主啊，求你帮助我们像爱自己那样去爱外人。求你帮助我们视每一个我们遇见的人为有你形像的人，又效法你爱我们那样去爱每一个人。奉耶稣名祈求，阿们。
利未记 19:33-34
33“若有外人在你们国中和你同居，就不可欺负他。
34和你们同居的外人，你们要看他如本地人一样，并要爱他如己，因为你们在埃及地也做过寄居的。我是耶和华你们的神。
The Foreigners Among You
“The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself…. ” – Leviticus 19:34
The Bible includes a number of stories about God’s people fleeing their homes to find refuge elsewhere. Abram and Sarai took refuge in Egypt because of a famine (Genesis 12:10). So did Jacob and his whole clan (Genesis 46). Elimelek and Naomi did something similar (Ruth 1:1-2). Jacob had also fled for his life after stealing his brother’s birthright (Genesis 27:41-44). And Joseph and Mary fled with baby Jesus when King Herod sent soldiers to kill him (Matthew 2). As we read these stories, we are relieved to find God’s people welcomed into foreign lands!
The Bible also instructs God’s people on how to treat foreigners. Leviticus 19:34 makes clear that the foreigner was to have the same legal protection as the native-born Israelite. Like a neighbor, the foreigner was also to be loved as oneself!
Our world remains a place where countless people flee from one place to another. Escaping from war, famine, persecution, and poverty, millions of people are on the move. Is there any reason to think that God would have his people treat foreigners differently today than long ago?
In what ways can we show God’s love and care for the foreigners among us?
Prayer
Lord, help us to love foreigners as we love ourselves. Please help us to see each person we meet as your imagebearer, and to love everyone as you love us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
