TacticalChristianity.org
  • HOME
  • TACTICS
  • STRATEGY
  • E-BOOKS
  • REVIEWS
  • QUOTES
  • ABOUT
  • BLOG

"Do Not Betray the Refugees"

6/19/2015

 
PictureCamp for Syrian refugees in Jordan, (Photo: Reuters–Pool)


“…. Make your shadow like night — at high noon. Hide the fugitives,  do not betray the refugees. Let the … fugitives stay with you;  be their shelter from the destroyer.”
(Isaiah 16:3-4)




Saturday, June 20th is World Refugee Day, and the problems highlighted by this day have seldom been greater than they are this year. Every minute in the world in which we live eight people leave everything they have and flee in order to escape the terrors of persecution or war. Although this may not sound like a lot of people, you just have to do the multiplication to see that millions of people are affected in the course of a year. It is estimated that some 60 million people (roughly equivalent to the entire population of Italy or the United Kingdom) have had to leave their homes, 14 million of them in the past year alone – and half of them children.

People are fleeing persecution  and war in many areas, especially in Africa and the Middle East.  Groups such as  ISIS and  Boko Haram are daily terrorizing, torturing and killing people of every age in many areas.  Christians are one of the most persecuted groups; as a result, thousands are being forced to flee their homes and livelihoods each day.

Overall, relatively little is being done to help these people in desperate need, though there are some bright spots. In the Middle East, for example, where thousands of Christians are struggling to flee Iraq and Syria to avoid death at the hands of the  Islamic State,  huge tent cities have been set up in neighboring countries as staging areas for people who can get to them. Turkey is helping with this, and the Polish Government has recently stated that Poland will accept Christians fleeing from ISIS.  A number of Christian aid groups are doing tremendous work – with limited resources – in helping move refugees such as the Syrian Christians to areas of safety, but so much more needs to be done to save hundreds of thousands.

What can we do about such a widespread problem? Everyone can do something!  This year, celebrities from around the world have released a series of 30-second videos supporting refugees as part of a coordinated campaign for World Refugee Day.  If we are able we can support missions such as Barnabas Aid’s “Operation Safe Havens” which is evacuating Syrian Christians in danger. The fund is rescuing Syrians and flying them to Poland and other areas where churches are organizing to welcome them and to find accommodation and jobs for them.  Anything you can donate to this cause – however small – can help save lives immediately.  Go here if you would like to donate to this particular operation.   

Financial support is not the only way we can help rescue those threatened by ISIS and similar groups. Local churches can arrange to receive and settle Syrian or other Christian families, and individually we can contact our government representatives to urge them to involve our government in doing  something – or doing more – to restrain the threats and to help those in this great need.   And, of course, whatever our situation, we can all pray fervently for those in need of deliverance from danger.

The current refugee crises around the world demand more action and humanitarian involvement than is happening.  As Christians we have a special responsibility to those we can help, and especially to our brothers and sisters who are being singled out and slaughtered for their faith. We might well remember the words of the prophet Isaiah, quoted above, in this regard. Not to help the refugees, if it is in our power to help them, is to betray them.


Comments are closed.

    Blog

    Follow @tacticalbelief

    RSS Feed

    For a smart browser-bookmark showing new blog postings, click on the RSS Feed icon above.  For more details on RSS Feed, click here.

    Author

    Unless otherwise stated, blog posts are written by R. Herbert, Ph.D., who writes for a number of Christian venues – including our sister site: LivingWithFaith.org.

    Categories

    All
    Archaeology & The Bible
    Bible Study
    Character
    Difficult Scriptures
    Discipleship
    Encouragement
    Family
    Fellowship
    Forgiveness
    Giving
    God
    Gratitude
    Great Commission
    Growth
    History & The Bible
    Knowledge & Wisdom
    Leadership
    Love
    Obedience
    Overcoming
    Persecution
    Popular Culture
    Positive Living
    Prayer
    Problems
    Relationships
    Service
    The Church & The World
    The Life Of Jesus
    Warriors Of The Way
    Women Of Strength

    Picture
    - Charter Member -

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

     

©  2014-2019 TacticalChristianity.org.