Being an Ambassador for Christ
“And also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” -Ephesians 6:19-20
If I asked all of you to raise your hands if you have been on a mission trip or desire to go on a mission trip, many of you would raise you hand. But do we all feel like we are living our lives for missions every day? Do we share Jesus as much in our everyday lives as we do when we are in Africa, Costa Rica, or downtown Birmingham?
I know I couldn’t say yes to answer that question. I strive to live my life for Christ just as much as many of you do, but many days I let my own selfish ways and desires get in the way of me fully representing and living for Christ.
One summer I lived in Sarajevo, Bosnia for 6 weeks. Bosnia is sandwiched between Serbia and Croatia, and it is a mainly Muslim country. I know that I was called to Bosnia for a reason. I use the term “called” as in you feel as if God has “called” you to a certain area, place, job, etc. At the time I was not sure why, but now I could give you multiple reasons why I was sent there.
I learned what it means to live my life for Christ everyday, not just on a trip. I was able to see what utter dependence and faithfulness on Jesus Christ feels like. Dependence to go to the super market and talk to the woman cashier. Dependence to walk up and talk to random people in a foreign country and ask if they want to hang out. Dependence that God will protect and provide when the world tells you differently.
In the U.S. we are more comfortable. We feel as if we are in control and know what we are doing so we fail to call on Jesus to help us through every day. When we talk about ambassadors, a U.S. ambassador is someone who is representing the United States in a foreign country. If you are an ambassador for Christ, you have given your life to Christ. You are an ambassador for Christ and you are fully representing Him. Your location and the story that God has you on is part of His mission—His plan, not yours.
Right now your exact moment in life is God’s mission. Mission trips are an incredible opportunity to serve the Lord, but every day is an opportunity to share Jesus Christ with someone. My prayer is that each of us would be ambassadors and reflections of Christ and that we would live each and every day sharing Christ’s name, love, and freedom.
