“ He made you His spokesperson and is making His appeal through you." Kathy Spampinato

We who believe in God and are His disciples, are given a position of recognition and high authority. We are established as those who represent God to others and are called to be a spokesperson of Christ. Yet, we often take this honor for granted and take little care about how we are representing our God and His Kingdom.

2 Corinthians 5:20 ESV "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

When we look at the characteristics of a governmental Ambassador, we get a glimpse of the responsibility and honor that the position carries. Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines an Ambassador as "a person sent on a mission to represent another; an official envoy, or authorized representative". Some synonyms are: an agent, consul, emissary, attache, deputy, proxy, delegate, envoy, or foreign minister. A U.S. Ambassador is an official representative of the United States, with the authority to negotiate treaties, explain policy, and broker agreements between the U.S. and other nations, or to hold other nations accountable for past agreements. It is a position that very few are chosen to perform. and that demands respect. It is an honor to carry that authority.

Is this the way we look at being a representative of God? I have often reflected on what would happen to an Ambassador who did not represent well. What if the person holding that post arrived at a diplomatic function totally unprepared? He woke up late, and dashed out in the clothes he had slept in, and arrived frazzled and disheveled? To make matters worse, he really needed a shower, had stringy and matted hair, and really bad breath. He made fun of the clothing and mannerisms of those he was meeting, and did not even try to understand their position or their language. He was totally dismissive of their culture and ideas, thinking they were beneath him. The members from other nations would not only feel disrespected by this Ambassador as a person, but disrespected by the nation that sent him. They would probably walk out of the negotiations and issue a formal complaint: an objection to how they were treated as emissaries. The Ambassador would be removed in disgrace and called home in shame. Other verses in this chapter give us perspective on our calling as Ambassadors.

2 Corinthians 5:11a, 14-15, "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

Are we living for the sake of the Gospel or are we disrespecting our Lord in the way we speak to others? Do we dismiss them as hopeless or insignificant? Jesus did not! He died to save and rescue them. He made you His spokesperson and is making His appeal through you.

We need to have His eyes to see others and speak as representatives of His love.

Verse 20b, and 21 "We implore 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 5:17-19 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come. All this is from God who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."

Let's be those who are careful with our attitudes and our words. We are representing a Kingdom of righteousness and peace to those who are far off, but who God wants to draw near. We have the distinction of carrying this message of reconciliation.