“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)
An ambassador’s position is to skillfully represent his nation in the capital of another. As Christians, we must ask ourselves, whom are we representing? As ambassadors for Christ, we represent our Lord and the Kingdom of Heaven. Our behavior and lifestyle must not be inconsistent with the living Word of God.
Micah expressed concisely what is expected of the servant of the Lord. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
Take a closer look at these instructions:
- Justly: Right or fair, lawful, proper, correct and true, accurate, exact, righteous; acting in a just, upright way; virtuous and morally right.
- Mercy: Refraining from harming offenders; a disposition to forgive or be kind; the power to forgive.
- Humility: Having or showing a consciousness of one’s shortcomings; modest and unpretentious; an absence of pride.
In writing to the dispersed believers in Asia Minor, Peter encouraged them to humble themselves before the Lord:
“Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)
(Read more of the amplified translation of this portion of scripture for an excellent representation of this admonition.)
Remember, that wherever we go and whatever we do, our God is with us, and as His ambassadors, we represent His Kingdom. May we willingly receive instruction from our Father and proceed to skillfully represent the Kingdom of Heaven as His ambassadors.
(Photo credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Daniilantiq .)
