“Jesus loves the little children/ all the children of world…”

Children are being separated from their parents at America’s borders.  The most recent story is of a mother who was breastfeeding her daughter.  She is taken into custody and her mother is placed in handcuffs.  “Zero tolerance,” they say.  “We are just following the law,” they tell us.  But, these are laws that we choose to create and enforce, that we choose to believe are the right way to “protect our borders.”

Human beings are called “illegals” as if their very existence is somehow wrong and not the hands of those who bring division.  And politicians have put God’s hands in it.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions called for the Bible’s witness to testify on his behalf and I cringed.  He read from Romans chapter 13: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (13.1, NRSV).  This is not the first time that the Holy Scriptures has been twisted, bent out of shape to fit the will of America’s government.  See American slavery and segregation.

And it must be noted that he stops short of these words: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.  The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (13.8-10, NRSV).  Yes, love fulfills the law.

Because God’s law is not to be confused with Caesar’s order.  They are never synonymous and one does not support or maintain the other.  Just ask Moses.    In Exodus chapter nine, Pharaoh is commanded to let God’s people go.  In bondage and defenseless, God commands their release– or else.  I am praying for such a leader tonight and for ears to hear God who says, “Let my children go.”  Amen.