How should I treat outsiders? - Outsiders - TouchPoints

Exodus 22:21“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

Ephesians 2:12In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.

At some point every person has felt like an outsider. We should remember these experiences and feelings and use them to help us be empathetic with those who are being excluded.

Genesis 23:4“Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial.”

Job 31:19-20“Whenever I saw the homeless without clothes and the needy with nothing to wear, did they not praise me for providing wool clothing to keep them warm?”

Isaiah 58:7“Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.”

3 John 1:5-8Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.

Outsiders have the same basic physical needs for shelter, clothing, and sustenance as everyone else. We should help them meet these needs. Then, through that relationship, we may be able to minister to their emotional and spiritual needs as well.

Leviticus 19:34“Treat them [foreigners] like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

Deuteronomy 10:19“So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

We should treat outsiders lovingly, using the same respect and kindness we would appreciate and would show anyone else.

Job 31:32“I have never turned away a stranger but have opened my doors to everyone.”

Matthew 25:35-40“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”

Hebrews 13:2Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

We should treat outsiders with hospitality.

Leviticus 23:22“When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. Leave it for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.”

Deuteronomy 24:19-21“When you are harvesting your crops and forget to bring in a bundle of grain from your field, don’t go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all you do. When you beat the olives from your olive trees, don’t go over the boughs twice. Leave the remaining olives for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. When you gather the grapes in your vineyard, don’t glean the vines after they are picked. Leave the remaining grapes for the foreigners, orphans, and widows.”

God expects us to treat outsiders thoughtfully and generously. We should think about how we can use our resources (money, time, or skills) to help those on the outside to feel accepted and cared for.

Exodus 23:9“You must not oppress foreigners. You know what it’s like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

Deuteronomy 1:16“At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions.’”

Deuteronomy 24:17“True justice must be given to foreigners living among you and to orphans, and you must never accept a widow’s garment as security for her debt.”

Deuteronomy 27:19“‘Cursed is anyone who denies justice to foreigners, orphans, or widows.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’”

Job 29:16“I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help.”

Jeremiah 7:2-7“Go to the entrance of the Lord’s Temple, and give this message to the people: ‘O Judah, listen to this message from the Lord! Listen to it, all of you who worship here! This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “‘Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord’s Temple is here! The Lord’s Temple is here!” But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever.”

Jeremiah 22:3“‘This is what the Lord says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent!’”

Ezekiel 22:29“Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice.”

Zechariah 7:9-10“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.”

God expects us to treat outsiders fairly, justly, and not oppressively. Justice and fair treatment should not be based on social status. Everyone should be treated fairly.

Exodus 12:17-20, 43-49“Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day. This festival will be a permanent law for you; celebrate this day from generation to generation. . . . This instruction applies to everyone, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner living among you.”

Leviticus 22:17-19The Lord said to Moses, “Give Aaron and his sons and all the Israelites these instructions, which apply both to native Israelites and to the foreigners living among you. If you present a gift as a burnt offering to the Lord, whether it is to fulfill a vow or is a voluntary offering, you will be accepted only if your offering is a male animal with no defects. It may be a bull, a ram, or a male goat.”

Deuteronomy 29:9-15“Therefore, obey the terms of this covenant so that you will prosper in everything you do. All of you—tribal leaders, elders, officers, all the men of Israel—are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God. Your little ones and your wives are with you, as well as the foreigners living among you who chop your wood and carry your water. You are standing here today to enter into the covenant of the Lord your God. The Lord is making this covenant, including the curses. By entering into the covenant today, he will establish you as his people and confirm that he is your God, just as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But you are not the only ones with whom I am making this covenant with its curses. I am making this covenant both with you who stand here today in the presence of the Lord our God, and also with the future generations who are not standing here today.”

Deuteronomy 31:12“Call them all together—men, women, children, and the foreigners living in your towns—so they may hear this Book of Instruction and learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully obey all the terms of these instructions.”

Joshua 8:33-35Then all the Israelites—foreigners and native-born alike—along with the elders, officers, and judges, were divided into two groups. One group stood in front of Mount Gerizim, the other in front of Mount Ebal. Each group faced the other, and between them stood the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant. This was all done according to the commands that Moses, the servant of the Lord, had previously given for blessing the people of Israel. Joshua then read to them all the blessings and curses Moses had written in the Book of Instruction. Every word of every command that Moses had ever given was read to the entire assembly of Israel, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among them.

Colossians 4:5Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.

1 Thessalonians 4:12Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.

1 Timothy 3:7Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.

We should include people in worship who are not believers and share God’s good news with them, helping them find God’s love and acceptance.