Have you ever noticed how, when rich companies make mistakes with government bureaucracy it’s often described as the governments fault? If the government insists on enforcing something, the problem is government overreach or government inefficiencies.
So why do people fleeing their homes on a dangerous trek then failing to navigate a government bureaucracy (that everyone agrees is broken) end up taking the blame?
The government isn’t called inefficient (though in this case it is wildly so). Their status isn’t “caught in red tape.” They aren’t even “having legal issues.” Instead, they themselves are labeled as “illegal.” Isn’t it concerning how dehumanizing that sounds?
You can’t get much more illegal than fleeing government pursuit on account of treason: a couple of a dubious marital status and a baby that looks nothing like his “dad.” Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus fled Bethlehem for Egypt. They were “illegals,” immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers.
After Jesus grew up he said, “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.” (Matthew 25:40) He technically doesn’t reference refugees by name in this saying, but he does reference “strangers” (verse 38) and being “in prisoner” (39). So wouldn’t “illegals” count?
Christmas is about welcoming Christ… but have we gotten to the point where we don’t even recognize him? Or are we too afraid? Do we sometimes recognize him, but we just don’t have the courage?
May we all have the courage to face the true meaning of Christmas.
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