Back in January I wrote a blog called “What Is Your Excuse” when I talked about making excuses for why we could or could not do something and in particular focused on that something being God’s call on our lives.
I wrote about God equipping the “called” and not calling the equipped. So no matter what excuse you and I make about not being capable of doing something God will always find a way of giving us the abilities to carry out what He has in store for us.
Well I would like to push this out a little further and look at who we interact with on a daily basis.
I think it is fairly significant if we first accept that we are imitators of Christ, our life’s pattern as Christians and we are called to be His ambassadors.
Allow me to expand on that in order for me in a short while to make us think a little.
What is an “ambassador”?
The Oxford English Dictionary definition is: “An accredited diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country”.
Now in light of firstly reading that definition of the word “ambassador” let us think once again on the scripture from 2 Corinthians 5 and verses 18 – 21 but in particular I emphasise verse 20:
And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ”
So if you need to just read it again……………..
We are God’s accredited diplomats – we are His voice here on Earth – through US God makes His appeal to those that do not know Him!!
Are you slightly taken aback with that realisation?
Think about how we are being His ambassadors. Do we just take our roles as Christians on Earth for granted. When we are told to take a stand against oppression whether faith based or otherwise do we sit and believe someone else will do that it’s what they are “into”. When we as Christians are asked to do some very simple stuff like write to your MP to take a stand on the erosion of Christian values? I think too often we do.
So we need to turn that around. An ambassador is meant to speak on behalf of whom he or she represents. So let us just think about something really simple that will enable us to make a start. The title of this blog:
“Who will you talk to today”??
I said earlier Jesus was our life’s pattern as Christians. So what pattern did He show us?
Certainly He sat down with fellow Christians and discussed all sorts of things, in His conversations with the disciples He provided teaching and guidance. But if His pattern was to talk “amongst” His own, then all we would need to do is stay inside the walls of whatever building we use to gather together in or just amongst the circle of our “church” friends. If that is all we do then I think we are seriously missing something in what He taught and showed us.
An ambassador was sent out to be a representative in a “foreign land”!
That means OUTSIDE of our church building or church family.
Let’s look at some of the people who Jesus spoke to during His time on Earth
(From the New Living Translation Study Bible):
Person: Reference:
A despised tax collector Matthew 9
An insane hermit Mark 5
The Roman governor Mark 15
A young boy Mark 9
An important religious leader John 3
A homemaker Luke 10
A legal expert Matthew 22
A criminal Luke 23
A church leader Mark 5
A fisherman Matthew 4
A King Luke 23
A poor widow Luke 7
A military officer Luke 7
A group of children Mark 10
A prophet Matthew 3
A woman who had committed adultery John 8
The Jewish high council Luke 22
A sick lady Mark 5
A rich man Mark 10
A blind beggar Mark 10
Political leaders Mark 12
A group of women Luke 8
A high priest Matthew 26
An outcast who had leprosy Luke 17
A government minister John 4
A traitor John 13
A paralysed man Mark 2
An angry mob John 18
A foreign lady Mark 7
A doubter John 20
An enemy who hated Him Acts 9
So look through that list and apply some modern day people to that list. I suggest:
The sick
The rich
The poor
Politicians
Religious leaders
Women
Men
Young
Old
Criminals
Those with psychological problems
Do you know I think that pretty much covers anyone and everyone in our society
So look down the list of those people you are likely to be interacting with. Ignore all of your friends within your “church” – they are not in a spiritual foreign land. Now who are you left with??
If you don’t have some of the above mix, then how on earth are you and I going to be God’s ambassadors???
My purpose and intention is to always try and be an encourager.
Sometimes I am lead to challenge myself and my fellow Christians.
So I will ask you one final time:
WHO WILL YOU TALK TO TODAY?
God Bless
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