AMBASSADORS!
Representing Jesus Christ With Our Words
It’s hard to fathom what it must be like to be a member of the 2004 Olympic U.S.A. Softball team. Can you imagine traveling and competing around the world as a representative of an entire nation? What an honor and awesome responsibility!
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have a similar, yet higher calling. The apostle Paul writes that we are "Christ’s ambassadors" (2 Corinthians 5:20). What is an ambassador? An ambassador is one who: 1) represents his own government, 2) makes his temporary residence in a country other than his own, and 3) speaks only what the authorities from his home country tells him to speak.
We represent Jesus Christ and His government—the kingdom of God (Ephesians 1:20-23; John 18:36). We are foreigners and strangers in this world (1 Peter 2:11). And what are we to speak? God is wanting to make His appeal through us for the world to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20). Jesus said that He did nothing on His own but spoke what the Father taught Him (John 8:28, 12:49-50). Even the Holy Spirit did not speak on His own (John 16:13). Should we be any different? As Christ represented the Father to us, we, too, are to represent our gracious King to those who are under another rule (Ephesians 2:1-3).
TIME OUT!
How do we specifically represent Christ? One way, for example, is with the honesty of the words of our mouths. Our yes is to be yes and our no is to be no (Matthew 5:33-37). We are to mean what we say. Our commitments are not to be broken. Our words are not to be deceitful.
With this in mind... Can others trust you and your words? Do you break your commitments? Have you ever failed to tell the whole truth? Do you exaggerate? Do you rationalize by telling "little white lies?" Will you save your neck by getting around your words?
To put it bluntly, if your answer is yes to any of these then you are marring the image of Jesus Christ. The Lord demands that our character, our reputation for honesty, our words be so trustworthy that people don’t have to question what was meant or interpret what was said. That’s what it means for your yes to be yes, and your no to be no. When Jesus spoke, people could trust Him and could consider what He said as done (Matthew 8:5-13).
How can you correctly represent the Lord Jesus Christ with your words?
- Be a person of integrity by doing whatever it takes to fulfill your word—even when it hurts (Deuteronomy 23:21-23; Psalm 15:4)."Pray for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains.
"Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should" (Ephesians 6:20).
Other related verses: Leviticus 19:11-12; Numbers 30:1-2; Genesis 24:2-3; James 5:12