Love the Stranger as Yourself

When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You are to 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


God’s command to Israel to love the foreigner is rooted in their own story—they had once been strangers in a foreign land and had known both suffering and deliverance. Remembering their own vulnerability was meant to shape how they treated others, especially those who were different or without belonging. To love the stranger as yourself is to extend the same dignity, compassion, and care you would desire for your own life and family.

This command reaches far beyond hospitality—it reflects the very heart of God. Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself as the One who welcomes the outcast, shelters the wanderer, and gathers people from every nation into His Kingdom. In our own fractured age, fear and suspicion often divide communities along lines of difference—cultural, political, or personal. Yet God’s people are called to resist such fear and to embrace love that sees the image of God in every person. To love the stranger is to remember that we, too, were once outsiders whom Christ welcomed through His mercy.

Who in your life might feel like an “outsider” right now—someone new to your community, workplace, or church? How does remembering your own experiences of being welcomed—or of longing for belonging—help you show compassion to others? What practical step can you take this week to reflect God’s welcoming heart toward someone different from you?

Today, take a step to welcome them, listen to their story, or meet a practical need. In doing so, you embody the heart of God, who welcomes us into His Kingdom.


Lord God, 

You welcomed me into Your family when I was far from You. Teach me to love the stranger as myself, to extend kindness and compassion to those who are different from me. Let my actions reflect Your hospitality and care. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

-

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