“A responsibility borne by all the members of Christ’s body.”

By Mike McCarty

^“So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

 

n ambassador? Me? Way cool. As soon as I finish writing this, I will have to call my mother and let her know that her son finally amounted to something. But there is so much I do not know about this job. Who appointed me? Why would Our Savior want or need me as one of His representatives? After all, I am not well-connected, I’m not a fat cat and I have no experience in government or any of the other things that might qualify one as a ambassador for, say, the United States.  

Although no one has e-mailed me a job description, I’m quite sure being Christ’s ambassador is a tad different from the U.S. version. For me, there will be no cushy office in Europe, no hobnobbing with world leaders, no reports to the president.

There will be long days, living life in the trenches, trying to help others here in Grand Rapids and wherever summoned, trying to live His way, trying somehow to reflect a glimmer of the ultimate and infinite goodness and holiness of the Lord and Savior of the universe. 

At least the work need not be lonely. I understand you are one of Christ’s ambassadors, too. It’s a responsibility borne by all the members of Christ’s body at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, the Catholic Information Center and around the world. 

Apparently, we are needed. There is a similar need for our governmental counterparts. 

“Unless everyone in the world starts loving each other,” the Austrian ambassador to the United States told The Washington Diplomat, “I think there are always going to be ambassadors.”

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Lord, please help me to spread your love and your ways, always.