By Marilyn Ehle
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“God…gave us the ministry of reconciliation…He has committed to us the message of reconciliation…We are Christ’s ambassadors…� 2 Corinthians 5:20
The long flight is over and you wearily stand in the snake-like Visa Control line. Your stomach muscles tighten as you observe cultural differences even before you cross the actual border: drab clothing, unsmiling faces, unfamiliar smells. The uniformed and armed government officials you spot on the perimeter of the crowd only increase your uneasiness. You now wonder if all the information you wrote on your visa application should have been included. These people now know your home address, workplace phone number, etc.
You are one of a group of educators coming to a country that has long been unfriendly to Western ideas, yet you have been invited to participate in a seminar that will introduce new instructional techniques to local teachers. The host country is aware that you are Christian and that what you teach will have at its base morals and ethics found in the Christian faith.
While you attempt to make your face an unreadable mask, your heartbeat increases as you step up to the glassed-in booth where a young, but stern, official reaches for your passport. Feeling as though a smile and friendly word might help the process, you say the one word of greeting you know in the national language, but the official merely glances at you and then peers in amazement at the passport: “Occupation: Ambassador.â€?Â
“Ambassador?� he queries with scorn. He can already see that you are not carrying the necessary diplomatic papers but are entering his country with only the normal tourist documents. What now?
This is not a description of an actual occurrence. We know that only authorized people can claim to be “ambassadors� in the governmental sense. And yet as citizens of the Kingdom of God, we are called to such an important post. The Apostle Paul writes that God Himself has appointed us to this position. Our job description includes faithfully carrying out the assignment: both the message and ministry of reconciliation.
I don’t advise writing the term “ambassador� on your visa papers, but it is important to make sure it is written within our hearts.
Lord, I don’t have the earthly qualifications for the post of ambassador, but thank you for appointing me to that position in your Kingdom. Help me faithfully learn about the culture where I live so I can best represent you and your values.
You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/08/18/me_occupation-ambassador/
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Marilyn Ehle has worked closely with businesswomen in the USA setting up and participating in luncheons and discussion groups which focused on issues pertinent to today’s employed woman.
A writer, she writes devotionals for Thoughts About God and Christian Women Today