Christ's Ambassadors
When I was studying at university, I signed up to be a Student Ambassador. It was a part time role and so fit around my studies but, more importantly, it was paid. The work was varied and involved conducting campus tours for prospective students and their families and also running sessions for school children to help them aim for higher education. Whenever we were on shift , we had to wear these bright turquoise t-shirts; these were a signpost to everyone that they could come and talk to us or ask us questions. People were not just looking at the facilities that the university had to offer, they were looking to us to see what it was really like. What did a student at this university behave like? What was their real opinion of the place? Our job, was to promote the university through what we said, how we behaved and how we interacted with people.
In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul says that as followers of Christ, we are Christ’s ambassadors. How often do we stop to think about this as being our job title? Yes, we may be doctors, lawyers, cleaners, teachers or IT support workers but we are also Christ’s ambassadors. The way we behave, the things we say and how we treat people all say something about the God we represent.
Paul goes on to say, ‘as though God were making his appeal through us’ — what a crazy thought. Why would an infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect being choose to work through people? The God who spoke the sun into existence uses a man with a stutter to deliver his people from Egypt. The God who lifted the mountains into position, chooses to use a teenage boy with a pebble to take down a giant. The God who thought up every scientific concept chooses to use an exile to advise a king on a dream. Why does he do it? We have a track record of unreliability and weakness. Surely, there is a more strategic and effective approach to advancing the gospel than making us his ambassadors? Or is there? I think God makes his appeal through us because he values the friendship. God is not so insecure as to fear his reputation being tarnished. The beauty of the gospel is that a perfect being entrusts his divine purposes to broken people.
What a privilege to be Christ’s ambassadors! Although we might not have to wear brightly coloured t-shirts, the world is watching us to see what a follower of Christ is really like. Let us consider our actions, our words and how we can use our daily lives to promote Christ.
- Bethany Milne
In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul says that as followers of Christ, we are Christ’s ambassadors. How often do we stop to think about this as being our job title? Yes, we may be doctors, lawyers, cleaners, teachers or IT support workers but we are also Christ’s ambassadors. The way we behave, the things we say and how we treat people all say something about the God we represent.
Paul goes on to say, ‘as though God were making his appeal through us’ — what a crazy thought. Why would an infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect being choose to work through people? The God who spoke the sun into existence uses a man with a stutter to deliver his people from Egypt. The God who lifted the mountains into position, chooses to use a teenage boy with a pebble to take down a giant. The God who thought up every scientific concept chooses to use an exile to advise a king on a dream. Why does he do it? We have a track record of unreliability and weakness. Surely, there is a more strategic and effective approach to advancing the gospel than making us his ambassadors? Or is there? I think God makes his appeal through us because he values the friendship. God is not so insecure as to fear his reputation being tarnished. The beauty of the gospel is that a perfect being entrusts his divine purposes to broken people.
What a privilege to be Christ’s ambassadors! Although we might not have to wear brightly coloured t-shirts, the world is watching us to see what a follower of Christ is really like. Let us consider our actions, our words and how we can use our daily lives to promote Christ.
- Bethany Milne
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