Thousands of undocumented youth are in our country.

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Thousands of alien youth are coming to our country. Politicians are fiercely debating what to do about it. Some say treat them as refugees, not immigrants, because they are fleeing violence in their country. Justice is at the heart of the debate. If youth are fleeing violence, why is God silent and not punishing those who threaten to hurt them? Is it fair for us to give them refuge and jobs when so many Americans are out of work? The patriarch Job questioned God’s silence when he saw injustice in his day. In Chapter 24, He asks, “Why doesn’t the Almighty bring the wicked to judgment? Why must the godly wait for him in vain?” He goes on to describe some of the unjust practices he saw: “The wicked snatch a widow’s child from her breast, taking the baby as security for a loan. The poor must go about naked without any clothing. They harvest food for others while they themselves are starving. They press out olive oil without being allowed to taste it, and they tread in the winepress as they suffer from thirst. The groans of the dying rise from the city; the wounded cry for help yet God ignores their moaning.” To Job, it seemed as if God was silent. Later, he heard God say that in God’s own time and way, He would bring every evil deed to justice. Until then, God calls us to treat others fairly, and work to eliminate injustice wherever we find it.