I remember on many occasions when my dad, who was gentleman farmer and skilled in many areas, would ask me to do something for him. This is not uncommon with young boys who had a dad who loved projects, but what I found interesting was that while he was more than able to get the job done much quicker and with more skill, he still wanted me to do it.
He trusted me to do the best I could do, and if I needed help all I needed to do was ask. As I reflect back I see this as an example of how God desires to do the same. In all of his power, his holiness and his perfection he still asks us for help. He trusts us to share his message of hope, peace and reconciliation.
It’s a mystery to me…
Don’t believe me? Read and think through the following:
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (New International Version)
18-20 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 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.
2 Corinthians 5:16-20 (The Message)
16-20 Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.
Here are a few questions to ponder:
What are the best ways we can share the hope that we have?
What are the often practiced and least effective ways people share Christ?
What is an ambassador? How does this role play out in life?
Why do you think that God asks us to join him in his plan to extend true hope to the world?
What it is that God is looking for in a person?
Personal note:
For the longest time I’ve noticed that the fabric of a person character is revealed not in the words of their speeches (or sermons), nor in the promises they make, but in their actions and deeds. It’s one thing to say you’re a follower of Jesus and wear the façade of Christianity; it’s wholly another to live as he lived. In large part our devotion to Christ is measured by our willingness to just follow him wherever it takes us.
It’s funny really. I’ve been part of “church” for about 20 years, and I’ve just recently come to this conclusion: we have not been placed on this blue marble planet to serve an institution called the Church, but to serve our King and those he loves so dearly. We are to do so at any and all costs.
But then, maybe it’s just me…
Peace…
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