Ambassadors for Christ

by Brandon Cutshall, Kid City Elementary Resident

Everyday, we encounter a wide range of individuals. These people include neighbors that you greet, baristas that give you your cup of coffee, and coworkers that you chat with around the water cooler. Often, we forget the value and importance of these interactions, and what the Lord has given to us through these men and woman. God is uniquely working within them, and He seeks to draw them nearer to Himself. Everyone that you see is a priority to the Lord. Because God loves the people that you see everyday, they should also be valuable to us.

As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5, believers are reconciled to God through Christ Jesus.  We read in verse 20, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” Knowing the great love and forgiveness that we have been given through Christ, we must strive to love unconditionally, forgive those who seem unforgivable, and be intentional in our pursuit of others. Christians are called to demonstrate the fullness of Jesus in tangible ways. Simply put, we exemplify Him in how we interact with other people.

I recently began to realize how easily I fall into the trap of being focused on my own comfort and concerns. I forget to genuinely connect with other people, and I forget that I am speaking as an ambassador of Christ. I try to communicate out of a mindset that is opposed to what Christ has for me. By focusing on myself, I miss the opportunities that God has given me to reflect Him to others.

God has reminded me to not be passive as I interact with other people. I have been blessed by God and encouraged to be useful as a jar of clay. I carry the crucial message of the gospel of Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:7). Since this message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is so powerful, we must allow God to use us to present Christ to the world. Let us be intentional in displaying the gospel, especially in how we interact with others.

As believers in Christ, I pray that we care for the people around us, just as God has cared for us. We know the amazing work that happened through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. So, let us be motivated to be ambassadors for Christ when we see that neighbor, barista, or coworker. We will be obedient to speak on Christ’s behalf, and allow Him use us so others may see Jesus more clearly every day.