It has probably been suggested to you at some point that you should imagine the end of your life, attending your own funeral. In most cases, the reason likely involves some sort of goal setting or life planning process. I am going to make the same suggestion today, but for a very different reason. Have you witnessed your own death?
Most likely, you have not spent much time thinking about where an ambassador works when they are on the job. Unless you have read my last two posts, you may not have thought much at all about ambassadors. Either way, I want to encourage you to think about them today – and how their work impacts you as an ambassador for Christ!
In my last post, we started digging into 2 Corinthians 5:20 and figuring out what it means to us. We started by breaking out the various components of the definition of an “ambassador,” applying each component to our own situations. You really need to read that last post [HERE] to get the full effect. Today, I want to cover the remaining points that I believe are most critical in this verse.
Sometimes a single verse from the Bible can teach us much that we need to know about being the Christian business owners and leaders that God has called us to be. While that may be too large a task for one verse, I think I have at least one that comes close. Let’s start by taking a look at the following verse about being an ambassador for Christ:
Turn on the news and you are likely to see any number of examples of celebrities, politicians, or others who have fallen from grace due to some sort of scandal or newly-exposed hypocrisy in their actions or beliefs. It is one reason I avoid the news for the most part. However, Christian business leaders can learn a lesson from what we see on the news and we had better take it to heart!
Stop for a moment and consider the state of the world we live in today. Now consider the various threats to Christian ministry that exist in this world. It can be overwhelming. However, there is one significant threat that is more dangerous than you may realize. That threat is you!
I recently participated in a conversation that caused me to stop and reflect on a topic with which I am intimately familiar – ME! I examined my own qualifications, track record, potential, and hope for the future. I will openly admit that it was not the kind of reflection I enjoy. While it was not all bad, it forced me to recognize that I have fallen short of my own expectations in several areas of my life. If you have ever felt this way before, I encourage you to read on for a simple, but real solution!
I was 13 years old, working for my father in the Parts Department of our family automobile business. Surrounded by grown men, mostly auto technicians, I was eager to fit in. I desperately wanted to shed the image of the typical “boss’s kid.” Unfortunately, at an inopportune moment, I did not expect my father to appear. My reaction was predictable!
I had recently been initiated into an ongoing game between the technicians and the parts employees. The technicians took their grease rags, balled them up, and wrapped them in tape. Anytime a parts employee left the window open between the two departments, the technicians would bomb the opening with rag balls.