Leviticus 19:32-34

Lev 19:32 “You will stand up before the grey head and honour the face of an old man, and you will fear your God: I am Yahveh.
Lev 19:33 “When a foreign guest is a temporary resident with you in your land, you will not do him wrong.
Lev 19:34 You will treat the foreign guest who is a temporary resident with you as the native among you, and you will love him as yourself, for you were foreign guests in the land of Egypt: I am Yahveh your God.

second class citizens and the covenant

The LORD demanded that the powerful in his covenant community not abuse that power by treating the elderly as second class citizens. The elderly were to be respected and honoured. Likewise, the temporary residents who had immigrated to live among the Israelites were to be loved and treated as equals. The LORD reminded the Israelites that they had been foreign immigrants in Egypt, and were enslaved and mistreated. That was to happen in the promise land.

Anywhere there is a nation, there is a threat to divide an separate the peoples within it by class or caste. God wants his people to demonstrate the unity of humanity, not disunity and oppression of the weak.

LORD, help us as Christians to model your love and protection for all people.