Read: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
An ambassador is an individual who represents his or her own country as a resident in another. Ambassadorship is the highest office a person can have outside his or her own country, making an ambassador the highest ranking official representing a president, a prime minister, or a sovereign in another nation.
God, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, the Sovereign of all, has ambassadors on earth, representing Him and His Son. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.”
I want us to pause and reflect on our ambassadorship from God. First, what a great honor indeed to represent the most sovereign of all. There is no one above or beside God. He alone is exalted above all nations, powers, and thrones. And yet God has chosen, called, and commissioned us to be his ambassadors! “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong,” (1 Corinthians 1:27.) As Archbishop Art Ferriol once said, “God’s calling ennobled our lives.” To be Christ’s witness is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. We should feel honored that God called us to represent Him in this world.
While we should feel honored to be Christ’s ambassadors, we should also feel accountable. The office of an ambassador comes with great responsibility, and indeed, as Christ’s ambassadors we must acknowledge God’s expectations from us. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house,” (Matthew 5:13-15).
Clearly from these verses, we can see that there are a lot of things we need to consider in order for us to be effective representatives. Someone once said, “Preach the word at all times, and if possible, use words.” This underscores the power of our very own testimony in winning souls. No wonder the Bible says, “Watch your life and doctrine closely, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers,” (1 Timothy 4:16).
And lastly for this post, let us consider the rewards of being an ambassador of Christ. The simplest and greatest reward is to win souls for the Lord, to make others see the light of the glory of Christ, and to escape the eternal punishment of sin. As the song Thank You by Ray Boltz says, “Thank you, for giving to the Lord, I am a life that was changed. Thank you for giving to the Lord, I am so glad you gave.”
Proverbs 11:30 says, “Those who win souls are wise,” and Daniel 12:3 says, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” The rewards of an ambassador of Christ are eternal.
Let us, therefore, seek to be a faithful ambassador of Christ, shining like a bright light in this world, pointing others to Christ. Let us be like salt, preserving those around us.
I pray all of us will be effective ambassadors of God. Amen.
Reflect:
What do you consider as the challenges of being an ambassador for Christ in our present time? How can we overcome these challenges?
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