“Sadie Forrester”

Like many, I was disgusted last week to hear of GOP Representative Steve King’s comments about Latino DREAMERS: “For everyone who’s a valedictorian, there’s another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.” Why some members of the Republican party choose to make their arguments on policy with comments that are hurtful, insulting and stereotyping I have no idea. But comments like this don’t bring us any closer to real immigration reform, to solutions, or to a united America.

This got me thinking about how some view the DREAMERS and stereotype most the Latino community as “strangers” – and the recent Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin trial, wasn’t that about how we view and stereotype “strangers” as well? A stranger can simply be someone different, someone you don’t understand. And my values as a Christian dictate clearly how I am to treat these “strangers.”

Now I’m speaking to Christians here, and I don’t know if Rep. Steve King even claims to be one, and frankly I don’t want to know. But if you are a Christian and reading this today, know that the Bible clearly spells out how we are judged by the world, how people will recognize that we are a disciple of Jesus Christ – and that’s by the love that we show. My Pappillon/Pomeranian mix Sadie, who really looks like a baby kit fox, has a t-shirt (yes, I dress my dogs) that says “got Jesus?” I told Sadie, who is a rescue and a little skid-dish of strangers, that she couldn’t wear that shirt if she’s going to bark at strangers, because it just isn’t a good witness! Now before you conclude I’ve lost it completely, let me make my point.

John 13:35 says that “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Well, “barking” at strangers doesn’t look a whole lot like loving them does it? If you are saying or even agreeing with hateful rhetoric like that of Rep. King and others, I sincerely hope you are not “wearing the shirt”… This doesn’t mean you have to agree with every immigration policy from the Left, but it does mean that just wearing the t-shirt “got Jesus?” doesn’t make it so – they will know by John 13:35.

See the vlog of this blog: http://youtu.be/kGZLnHGf234

Christina Forrester is founder & spokesperson for Christian Democrats of America and an author, blogger, entrepreneur, marketing strategist, Millennial, singer/songwriter and animal lover.

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@Christinaof9