Xenophobic dehumanizing attacks calling people created in the image of God (Imago Dei), a people who Jesus died for is an insult to the image of God in South Africa, Calling fellow Africans, Congolese, Mozambique’s, Malawians and Zimbabweans makwerekwere is dehumanizing the cause of God. This is tearing and distorting what Gad has created and intended in shared love, shared dignity and hope together as fellow human beings.
Each one of us is created in the image of God and we bear God’s signature. (Genesis 1:27). This means we have the same maker and same worthiness. The Bible commands love for one another as and emphasizes to love one’s neighbor as yourself. Leviticus 19:18 says, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” Mathew 22:39 emphasises that, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Loving one’s neighbour is a fulfilment of the royal law from the scriptures (Galatians 5:14 and James 2:8). This means every one of us deserves to be treated with care, dignity, forgiveness and patience without tribal barriers.
The pain of unemployment, housing pressure and all the allegations that the South Africans are labelling against fellow Africans do not cancel the image of God because God wants love to prevail. Instead, it is a violation of God’s law. Leviticus 19: 33-34 says, “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong….You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you.” This is the reverse of what we are witnessing in South Africa because fellow Africans are being labeled makwerekwere, driven out without what they worked for and bundled out without dignity.
God created the earth for his people and Psalm 24:1 say the earth is the Lord’s and all those on it. This means South Africa cannot be for South Africans only. This means every person has dignity, every life is sacred, and we are relational beings who are to reflect God’s character together, without discriminations.
We share race, gender, age, ability and nationality hence xenophobic attacks on each other diminish the doctrine of ima godei, that we are created in God’s image. Instead, we are all responsible of valuing what God has put in place for us and for his purpose. It is everyone’s responsibility and every government has this God given responsibility to value and respect each other as individuals, race or nations.
Therefore, we need to remember that xenophobia being witnessed in South Africa is tearing down what God has put in place for his mankind. The image of God is being diminished and attacked. South Africa is home to many nations and God calls us to love one another and to love our neighbours (Mark 12:31).
