Love the Stranger as Yourself

“When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”
— Leviticus 19:33-34


This passage from Leviticus is a striking call to radical love—not just justice or tolerance, but love. God commands His people to love the stranger as they love themselves. This is not a comfortable, distant charity. It is a deeply personal standard, mirroring the love we hold for our own lives. And who is this neighbor to be loved? Not a family member, not a friend, but the foreigner—the one most easily overlooked or feared, the one who looks, sounds, or lives differently than we do.

In ancient Israel, foreigners held no inherited land, few legal rights, and often no social standing. Yet God places them at the center of His ethical commands, requiring that they be treated “as native-born.” Why? Because God’s people were once foreigners in Egypt, and their memory of that experience should cultivate humility and compassion. Can you recall a time when you were the outsider, when you felt uncertain or unwelcome? How does that memory shape the way you view the “strangers” in your community today?

Today, many live as modern-day foreigners: immigrants, refugees, displaced persons, or those trying to find their place in a new neighborhood or church. They may carry the weight of fear, trauma, or deep loneliness. How do you respond to them? What assumptions or emotions arise when you see someone who is different from you? The invitation from God is not to judge, but to love—to reflect His hospitality and to embody His justice without discrimination.

To put this into practice, consider an activity that involves hospitality. Invite someone into your home or share a meal with someone you do not know well—especially someone from a different background. If a face comes to mind right now, that may be God’s gentle nudge. Let your daily rhythm include small but intentional acts of welcome. Let your story of once being a stranger fuel your kindness, so that God’s image in every person is honored with dignity.


Lord God,

You welcomed me when I was a stranger. You made a place for me when I felt lost and unknown. Help me to reflect that same love to those around me. Teach me not to turn away from the unfamiliar, but to see Your image in every person I meet. Give me courage to love as You love and to welcome as You welcome. May my home, my church, and my heart be places of grace.

I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

-

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