5.13.2009

ambassadors

I always wanted to be the team captain. Both in high school and college, my first three years found me desperately wanting to be a team captain. I wanted to walk to the center of the field, call the coin toss and represent my team. I wanted to be the one with a tough look, no smiles - I wanted to shake the hand of our opponents and squeeze as hard as I could - I wanted to be the team captain. But the team captain had more responsibility than just what was visible on the field. The captain led the team - on and off the field of play. The team captain was chosen because he was the best option to represent the team - players and coaches. This position was one with great responsibility.

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul reminds us that we are Christ's ambassadors. Think about the great honor of being named the ambassador of the Son of God, King Jesus. This is startling news. When I look at my life I see mistakes and failures and weakness. But when God looks at us, He sees Jesus. God looks at you and me and sees something great. Paul tries to help us see this when he says, "anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" God chooses you and me to be ambassadors for the King.

With honor comes responsibility. This role of ambassador is not a figure head role. It is one with great purpose. Catch this... God sent Jesus to reconcile us to Him. In other words, Jesus was here so that we could be o.k. with God. Our role, our responsibility is to continue that mission in the world - to help others know that they can, through Christ, be o.k. with God. Don't miss this - what we do is the most important thing going on in the world today.

You are an ambassador. Your old life is gone and there is new life in Christ. And your mission is to help people know that because of Christ, they are o.k. with God.

How does that make you feel? What are you doing this week as His ambassador?

1 comment:

  1. I love having something worth offering that can really help.

    Just went and got my toes done with a girlfriend. That's my kind of ambassador time!

    ReplyDelete