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

Did you know most people buy things on the recommendation of others? There are endless advertisements and marketing pieces directed at us to consume products and services. But what we trust more than slick mailers or commercials are the opinions and recommendations of people we trust. As we hear people rave about a product, enjoy a trip, or love a movie, it inclines us toward those things as well. 

Why is this? Because we’re more likely to trust information we receive from people we know. How is this significant to us as Christians? As we think about our call to be witnesses for Christ, there is a prominence and importance in the relationship we have with others and the believability of our lives to what we say.

Our passage today reminds us of our role. Paul writes to the church in Corinth that we are ambassadors for Christ. This means we are representing him. Just like an ambassador for the United States represents our country to foreign dignitaries, so the Christian is an ambassador for Jesus in the world. What do we do as ambassadors? We speak the gospel. Paul says something profound happens when we do that: God makes His appeal through us. When we speak the Word of God and proclaim the gospel to others, God Himself supplies power to those words in the hearts of people. His voice gets heard through those words. This is a flabbergasting idea. God uses little people like us to make His appeal to the world. On behalf of Christ to others, we implore them to be reconciled to God. We are conduits for His appeal to others. 

Look for ways today that God can make His appeal through you. If we open our eyes, there are opportunities all around us. It doesn’t always look like a presentation or going through every point of the gospel. Sometimes it is just a faithful statement to God’s love for them, or sovereignty over their lives. Let Him speak through you today. 

Reflection & Journal:

- Why do you think God uses us to be His ambassadors when He could do it any other way? 

- What are some examples of when you’ve had a chance to share the gospel with others?

- What is the biggest obstacle and hurdle keeping you from being faithful as an ambassador?