Welcoming the Stranger

Imagine a nation marked by a long history of tension that included conflict, oppression, and repeated attempts to pull your people towards immorality. Now imagine that the leaders of this country sought to undermine your nation through spiritual means, hiring someone to pronounce a curse against your people. In that context, what if someone from that very nation chose to leave their homeland and seek permanent residence among you? Someone who wasn’t coming as a diplomat or enemy, but as a migrant hoping to build a life inside your community? Would you welcome them? Would you demand caution? Or would you insist they remain on the other side of the border for the safety of your own society?

It might surprise you that what I’ve described above is the historical background to the Biblical story of Ruth. Ruth, as a Moabite woman, came from a people group that had a strained relationship with Israel. Near the end of Israel’s wilderness wanderings, Moab’s leaders feared Israel’s presence and hired Balaam to pronounce a curse against them (Nu. 22-24). When that attempt failed, Israel fell into sin at Peor, where the Moabite women seduced the men of Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality. The tension between these nations didn’t end there. In the days of the judges, Israel was later oppressed by Moab for eighteen years (Jg. 3:12-30).

Against this backdrop, the hospitality and kindness shown to Ruth by Boaz is strikingly unexpected. Rather than viewing her as a burden, a liability, or a threat, Boaz responded with protection, generosity, and dignity toward a foreign woman in his land.

This story provides a compelling lens for thinking about the tension between hospitality and national responsibility toward those desiring to immigrate to another county. It raises a question that continues to surface in modern discussions: how should followers of Jesus balance the call to welcome the stranger with the need for order, wisdom, and the protection of a nation’s citizens?

The Modern Immigration Debate
Over the last couple months and years, the subject of immigration has become an explosive topic here in the U.S. With over 2 million known immigrants who evaded federal border agents during the Biden administration, debate about border walls, and mass enforcement operations (aka ICE), the topic of immigration has reached a fever pitch. On one side of the issue are those who advocate for open borders emphasizing the benefits of immigrant labor and humanitarian duties to welcome those fleeing poverty and violence. On the other side of the issue are those who desire strict border enforcement recognizing that national security, economic stability, and the rule of law start with controlling a nation’s borders and managing the strain on public resources. So, which of these views are correct, and what does God say in His Word about the subject?

Turning to Scripture, we see clear Biblical support for aspects of both views. Time and again, God exhorts His people to love the stranger the same as one loves himself or herself (Le. 19:34), that He Himself loves the stranger (Dt. 10:18-19), to provide for those in need (Le. 19:9-10), and to welcome others as if you were serving Jesus (Mt. 25:35). At the same time, the Bible also provides clear support for the establishment of national boundaries with God Himself being the first to designate borders (Dt. 32:8, Ac. 17:26). It also teaches the importance of respecting laws and civil authority (Ro. 13:1, 1 Pe. 2:13), and the need for exercising wisdom about potential dangers and negative influence that foreign customs and practices can have when introduced into a culture (1 Ki. 11). Considering these two ends of the spectrum, this is where I find value in Ruth’s story for trying to understand how followers of Jesus can both show compassion and hospitality while at the same time respecting civil authorities, acknowledging the importance of security and protection, and guarding against dangerous cultural influences.

As a Moabite woman, Ruth came from a nation associated with idolatry, including practices such as human sacrifice (Nu. 21:29, Je. 48:1-7, 2 Ki. 3:26-27). From Israel’s perspective, she would not have been an obvious candidate for safe or welcomed settlement. She was also a widow in a precarious economic position, dependent on gleaning in fields for survival. At first glance, she would have represented both a cultural risk and strain on economic resources. However, Ruth’s story quickly challenges these assumptions.

Ruth: A Model of Faithful Integration
She had already established a connection to Israel through her marriage, placing her within an Israelite family structure as opposed to arriving as a complete outsider. More importantly, her decision to remain with Naomi wasn’t one driven by self-interest but by loyalty and sacrifice. Instead of returning to Moab where she likely would have been more comfortable, she chose to stay and provide for Naomi through hard work in the fields. Her character, then, is not defined by threat or burden, but by faithfulness. This culminates in her well-known declaration of allegiance, “…Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” (Ru. 1:16)

Reflecting on Ruth’s journey reveals a crucial nuance. While modern border controls didn’t exist, her entry into Israel was far from arbitrary. As the widow of an Israelite and part of Naomi’s household, she possessed a legitimate connection to the community. More than that, she didn’t come seeking a handout; she came willing to assimilate, fully adopting Israel’s culture, customs, and laws. By working the fields to sustain a vulnerable Israeli citizen, Ruth demonstrated a desire to contribute to the nation’s well-being rather than exploit it.

It was this exceptional character that caught Boaz’s attention, prompting him to extend compassion and generosity toward her. This highlights another key element of the story: the biblical provision of “gleaning” was far from an open-ended welfare state. It was a highly localized, finite safety net managed directly by private landowners, not a distant government. To eat, a foreigner had to endure the exhausting, humbling labor of gathering leftovers in the hot sun under the watchful eyes of the field guards. They weren’t simply handed bags of food, and when the gleanings were gone, they were gone.

Most importantly, Hebrew law drew a sharp line between two types of foreigners. Ruth was what Scripture called a “stranger” (Ger). This was one who integrated into the community, renounced idolatry, and pledged allegiance to Israel's laws. She was not a “foreigner” (Nokri), an outsider who merely crossed the border to consume resources. By welcoming the “stranger,” Boaz modeled a compassion that beautifully balances human dignity with national order.

How should the lessons we find in Ruth’s story inform our modern perspectives on immigration policy and Christian compassion? As modeled by Boaz, those who are genuinely in need, seeking a fresh start for their families, possess inherent worth, deserve dignity, and are deeply loved by God. Therefore, a believer’s natural posture toward the migrant should never be hostility or cruelty, but empathy and kindness. At the same time, it is entirely appropriate to advocate for the wisdom and discernment required to evaluate the motives of those seeking entrance into our land. Boaz demonstrated incredible benevolence toward Ruth, but only after he first questioned his field foreman to understand who she was and where she stood. Because he saw that Ruth respected Israel’s laws, worked diligently, and honored the culture of the community, helping her became a blessing to everyone involved.

Boaz's Example of Compassion and Discernment
While ancient Israel’s screening methods were entirely different from our modern federal agencies, boundaries still existed. Laws dictated how outsiders were to be treated, and compliance was explicitly expected. The intent behind these boundaries was not animosity, but the protection for God’s covenantal community from external threats. This aligns directly with God’s design for civil governance. In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul defines the clear mandate of the state: “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. …for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” (Ro. 13:1, 4)

The government is uniquely tasked to bear the sword, maintain national security, and ensure order. Consequently, citizens who champion secure borders aren’t acting out of a lack of Christian love; they are simply affirming the state’s God-given duty. Welcoming the outsider is a noble gesture, but true biblical hospitality operates within the guardrails of the rule of law, not at the expense of it.

Because God has entrusted the responsibility of national security to the civil authorities, individual believers and local churches are freed to focus on their own distinct mandate of advancing the Gospel and demonstrating the love of Jesus to the people who are already here.

This is where the distinction between the “Ger” (the integrated stranger) and the “Nokri” (the unassimilated foreigner) becomes highly practical for the modern church. Unlike Ruth, who desired to immerse herself into Israeli culture and readily declared, “Your God shall be my God,” many who cross our borders today bring native religions, traditions, and customs that directly conflict with biblical principles and American norms. They may have no desire to assimilate into our cultural or spiritual landscape. So, how are we as believers to respond? Do we avoid sharing Christ with them or refrain from being loving and compassionate because of their legal status? Of course not.

While the state must maintain strict vetting and enforcement of legal status for the sake of public safety, as Christ’s disciples, our marching orders do not change based on an individual’s legal status or religious background. Our commission isn’t to police them, but to engage them with the truth and grace of Christ. In fact, interacting with neighbors from foreign lands can be viewed as a remarkable opportunity. Today, millions of people live in nations that are entirely closed to the Gospel, where evangelism is illegal and dangerous. Yet, many from those same countries are arriving on our doorstep. Instead of having to expend valuable time and treasure trying to share Jesus with them in their homeland, God may be creating an opening for you to share Him with those living next door.

The Church’s Mission in a Broken World
A truly Biblical worldview about immigration and hospitality doesn’t demand that we choose between a secure nation and a compassionate heart. We can earnestly advocate for just, orderly, and strictly enforced laws on immigration which protect our citizens while at the same time opening our doors to show the love of Jesus to the immigrant down the street. Like Boaz, we can respect the law, protect our fields, and still leave enough room at the edges for grace.