Refugees are people who had to run from their homes because of war, danger or persecution. They often arrive in a new country with almost nothing. New language, new food, new rules, no friends. They may carry grief and fear we cannot see.
Jesus's own family knew what that was like.
A night escape
When Jesus was a small child, a cruel king named Herod, who ruled the land, heard that a new king had been born in Bethlehem. Afraid of losing his throne, Herod decided to kill him.
Joseph, the man who raised Jesus, was warned in a dream. The Gospel of Matthew, one of the four accounts of Jesus's life, tells us what Joseph did.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
Matthew 2:14 · King James VersionThe original Greek
ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον,
Found in Codex Vaticanus (about AD 325), Codex Sinaiticus (about AD 350).
By night. No time to plan. They left everything and crossed into a foreign country with a little child, and they stayed there until Herod died.
The family Jesus grew up in were refugees.
Ways to help
Say welcome. Learn their names and how to say them. A smile and a greeting matter more than you think.
Help with rides. Getting to appointments, jobs, school and stores is hard without a car or knowing the bus routes.
Help with English. Practice conversation, help with homework, or volunteer as a tutor.
Help them find their way around. Show them the grocery store, the clinic, the library and the school.
Help with jobs. Share leads, practice for interviews, or help with a resume.
Invite them to a meal. Ask about their food and their home. Let them share it with you.
Connect with a resettlement group. Local refugee agencies and churches often need volunteers, furniture and household items.
Be patient. They may be carrying trauma. Let friendship grow slowly.
He was far from home too
We have not always welcomed people from other places. That is true in every country and in every church. But Jesus spent part of his childhood as a refugee in Egypt, depending on strangers. When you welcome a refugee family, you are welcoming the kind of family he grew up in.