And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:33-34, NKJV)
In this cynical, fallen world, our natural tendency is to draw back into our shells, our tribal caves where everyone is just like us and outsiders are ostracized. We have all seen western films in which a rowdy rascal accuses the newcomer, “You ain’t from these parts, are you, partner?”
God’s Word clearly teaches us a different way. We are not to mistreat the stranger to our land. We are welcome them. We are to love them. We are to treat them like one of us. The reason we treat them well is because the Israelites themselves were once strangers in Egypt. How would you want to be treated in a strange and unfamiliar place? For those who follow Christ, the Golden Rule is an international law.