“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims....” (l Peter 2:11a) Several years ago, I began to meditate on this verse. For me personally, it had both earthly and spiritual meaning and so this verse has become very special to me. I was born in Canada, and maintain an earthly citizenship there; however, I hold a United States immigration green card or Resident Alien card that permits me to live here.
I was not raised in a Christian home, and I was well into my mid-twenties before I had any real experience with church. Unfortunately, this experience was not in agreement with the scripture in matters of dress, jewelry, makeup, hair length, etc. As a new believer, I felt sure that the leadership of the church would never steer me down the wrong path. And since I had not been discipled, and was kept busy “working” in the church, I did not know that in order to grow I needed to read God’s Word. How wrong I was to place my trust in the leadership and not in the Lord Jesus. For eight years, I blindly followed them—too busy to read the Bible and find out what God really says. Oh, how the Lord must have grieved over me those eight years, yearning for me to read His Word and truly follow Him. Near the end of that eighth year, I began to sense that all was not as it should be. I just knew that there had to be more than what these people were telling me that there really was a holy life that believers could live. As I began to read the Word and search it for myself, I began to see that I had indeed been led down the wrong path. My life was not giving glory to the Lord, and I was grossly ignorant of His Word. As a result of the Spirit’s prodding, I withdrew from the church, and began an intensive study of the Bible. And what I found was both shocking and amazing. I found things within its pages that I had never even heard before.
In 1991, the Lord sent me a Bible believing, God fearing husband who loved the Lord with all his heart. I know now that the Lord had His will in bringing us together, but at the time I did not know this. I was NOT the picture of the godly woman. I had extremely short hair, and wore pants, jewelry, and makeup. Yet as my husband looked at me, he did not see these things. Otto saw me with long hair, in dresses, and without all of the other things. The Lord let him see me as a godly woman that the Lord knew I would become once He got a hold of my life in a deeper way. I am truly thankful that the Lord brought us together. For it has been Otto who has pointed me to the scripture as the final authority in all situations. As I began to search the Word, I also began to make the changes necessary in my life. This was not because Otto said that I should, but because it was in God’s Word. As these changes began to be made, I began to see myself more like a stranger and alien in this world.
Have you ever seen someone that you just know is from another country? What was it that first let you notice that person? Was it their clothing? Was it their accent (speech)? Was it the way that they did things, or the things that they occupied their time with? As a Canadian, I have had to learn to speak differently. I must remember that a bag is called a sack. I must remember that the letter “z” is pronounced “zee” not “zed”. And I must remember to try not to say “eh” so much. My speech reveals that I am from another country. I am an ALIEN here.
As I reflected on the verse in 1 Peter 2, I began to see that I am indeed a Resident Alien in every sense of the word. I began to ask myself these questions: “if I am a citizen of heaven, do people of this world notice that I am an alien here? Can they sense that ‘this world is not my home, I’m just a passing through’ as the song says? Do I dress as though I am an alien? Does my speech identify me as an alien and a stranger? Do my actions, the things I do and the places I go reflect that I am an alien? Does ALL that I do as I journey here in this world show that I am not comfortable here, and that I long to return to my real home—my spiritual home?” You can see that there are a lot of things to consider when we are aliens. We are living here, but we do not have to adopt the habits, language, and dress of this world.
My husband and I recently moved here to Las Cruces, New Mexico. I am praising God that He has called us here, for it has served to reinforce my thoughts on being an alien. With a population of over 70,000 I have found that I am the only one (that I have seen to date) who wears a veiling all the time. Yes, people do stare at me like I am an alien. And all that I can do is say “PRAISE GOD!” They are recognizing that I am an alien and stranger. Some people get up enough courage to ask me what religious order I belong to. Praise God that I can testify for Him! Many ask if I always wear dresses. Praise God again—I am an alien! Many ask if we have television or go to movies. Praise God—I am an alien!
Many times, we meet people who call themselves Christian, yet do not in any way reveal that they are any different than those in the world around them. They dress the same as everyone else, they go the same places as everyone else, they follow the hair styles as everyone else, and listen to the same things as everyone else. Can anyone see that they are an alien and stranger here? I’m afraid not!
How I praise the Lord who pulled me out of the clutches of this world, and has set me up as an example and witness for Him. I am thankful that I can be a resident alien for Him. I praise Him that people can observe my life and know that I am an alien—know that I am only passing through on my way to heaven to be with my Lord.
