Embodied Grace: A Theological Reflection on Everyday Lives and Divine Inclusion at the Border

by Yonathan Moya, Founder and Executive Director of Border Perspective

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God," – Micah 6:8

In our current culture, the United States and Mexico border is only depicted as a political

battleground — a place defined by division and strife. Yet, when we take into consideration the perspective of those who live and minister there on a day to day basis, we see that the border is also a space where the divine meets humanity.

The short and silent film, Portraits of the Border, invites us to engage the personal narratives of those living in the borderlands, challenging us to rethink our understanding of bi-national, bi-cultural and bi-lingual communities that sit at the edge of our country.

Might these communities be similar to our own?

What is their spiritual identity in light of the gospel?

Journeying Through The Scriptures

At the core of Christian faith is the belief that every person is created in the image of God

(Genesis 1:27). This foundational truth, the imago Dei, reminds us that regardless of one’s

origin or lawful status, every individual bears the sacred imprint of the Creator. In the

intimate portrayals of immigrants — whether it’s a hardworking parent, dedicated teacher, or

community elder — we see reflections of God’s own image, calling us to affirm everyone’s

value, dignity and worth.

Scripture consistently challenges us to extend hospitality and compassion to those who are

foreign or marginalized. Leviticus 19:34 commands, “The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself.” This verse is not a mere suggestion for polite coexistence with one another, but a radical and bold call to embrace those who are being misinterpreted and excluded in our society. Scripture is bold and clear: we, as the community of faith, are to be a haven of hope for the stranger and a living testimony to God’s inclusive heart and love for all people.

Throughout all of scripture, the immigration journey echoes in many Biblical narratives —

consider the story of Abraham, the father of faith, who was called by God to leave his familiar

surroundings and embark on an uncertain journey into a new land (Genesis 12:1).

Like the story of Abraham in the Old Testament, immigrants today have to wrestle with the

difficult decision to leave everything they know in search of hope, safety, and the promise of a better life.

In many ways, the migrant journey today mirrors the pilgrim’s path — a continual movement toward a promised future, even when the way is fraught with hardship and loss.

This theme of migration throughout scripture finds further expression in the Exodus narrative. The Israelites, long exiled in a foreign land, experienced both the pain of displacement and the transformative promise of redemption. In their wandering through the desert, the Israelites encountered God not as a distant ruler but as an ever-present guide, sustaining them through their needs and trials. This promise has not changed today, as in our own seasons of desolate wondering, we are able to overcome uncertainty and embrace the future with God as our present hope.

Similarly, the stories of migration today remind us that our present circumstances — though

sometimes marked by struggle — are also opportunities to encounter divine grace and to forge more empathetic communities for those suffering around us.

Central to these Biblical reflections is the mystery of the Incarnation. In becoming flesh through the person of Jesus Christ, God demonstrated that divine love does not remain aloof from human suffering, but enters into it.

Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 25:35 —“I was a stranger, and you welcomed me” — resonates

powerfully in the context of immigration. Every act of compassion toward a newcomer

becomes a tangible encounter with Christ, affirming that the divine is present in the lives of those who are often overlooked and living in the shadows.

Portraits of the Border

We are called to exercise our spiritual imagination — to see the border not as a place defined by division and strife, but as a sacred meeting place of cultures, hearts, and hopes. It should be a place that challenges us to move beyond a superficial understanding of immigration, and to embrace a vision of justice, mercy, and love that is rooted in the character of God.

Let us then commit to listening deeply, to questioning narratives that dehumanize, and to

building bridges that lead to welcoming communities. In doing so, we have the opportunity to participate in the ongoing work of divine reconciliation, bearing witness to a God who calls us to be bearers of light in the darkest of places.

Yon, Eunice, Mina, and Jenn. Photos by Ivor Karabatkovic.

“The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow.” — Psalm 146:9

May our lives, like these portraits from the borderlands, become testaments to a faith that is

lived, incarnate, and inclusive — a faith that sees every stranger as an embodiment of God’s boundless grace.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Yonathan Moya has spent most of his adult life serving on the mission field throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. He’s traveled all throughout the region and has been involved in community development projects in Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico, Honduras, Haiti, and Cuba. Yonathan is the Founder and Executive Director of Border Perspective. He grew up on the U.S. and Mexico border and now lives with his wife, Megan, their son Jude, and mini-Goldendoodle, Fitz, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.