"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you: be reconciled to God." ~1 Corinthians 5:20
"We are ambassadors, not spies." ~Lecrae
Ambassadors, not spies. What a wonderful, eye-opening comparison - one I have been reflecting on the last several months. Too often, as Christians, we are living in the world and trying to fit in, as if our job is to infiltrate and secretly watch and observe the world's behavior. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Paul speaks endlessly about shining like stars in the universe, proclaiming the gospel fearlessly, being untainted by the world. John writes that we are not to love the world or anything of the world. Jesus commands us to be salt and light, a city on a hill. Call me crazy, but none of that sounds like "fitting in," "going with the flow," or "relevance." Seems to me we are called to stand out!
The very word "ambassador" is fraught with meaing. We are ambassadors here, and our citizenship, the country we represent, is in heaven. An ambassador's job is to represent and advocate the interests and intentions of his or her country in the foreign country he or she resides in. It is obvious to those living in that foreign country that the ambassador is not one of them - indeed, it would be odd if he/she tried to fit in and be like one of them. It is necessary, of course, for an ambassador to socialize with people of that country, for how else could he/she effectively promote and advocate for his/her home country? He/she needs to be aware of cultural norms and adjust somewhat to communicate, but her own country's expectations and laws must come first! Love of country and steadfast committment to its agenda muust always be priority one.
In the same way, brothers and sisters, we are called to be Christ's ambassadors here on earth. Our job is to tell those of this country, this world in which we are strangers and aliens, about the wonderful country of our citizenship. We are to fearlessly proclaim the wonders of the love of Christ, His forgiveness, and the hope that all can have through believing in His name. The country that we are living for, the kingdom of heaven, is so much richer and higher than anything this world can offer its citizens. So why, why are we TRYING to fit in?!? Think about it: why would we WANT to settle for what this world has to offer when we have something of eternal, limitless value to offer? Its like settling for someone's button collection (in order to fit in) when you can offer a collection of precious jewels.
Yes, we have to be aware of cultural norms and be able to communicate the gospel in a way that those of our culture will understand, but we must not water down the message of the gospel. Just because someone may not like the message of the gospel, doesn't mean they can't grasp its meaning. If we try to become too relevant, we will blend in so well that people won't be able to see the difference in us - and it is that difference - Jesus- that is going to set them all free! (Thank you, Casting Crowns, for pointing this out to me).
So, brothers and sisters, rise up and be ambassadors! Implore the world, as the apostles did: Be reconciled to God!
