Ambassadors

Paul talks of those who follow Jesus, the one who is the Christ, as ambassadors for Christ. Since this is so, perhaps the image we should have of our buildings is that of an embassy. We are to promote our cause/country to the world where we are and should be a sanctuary for those fleeing in distress from this world.

Many of us in the USA have conflated the fact that we are a part of this country and are to speak to and for our country with the idea that we are citizens of God's realm. And we are citizens of both God's realm and the country where we reside. But, as the song goes, we are wayfaring strangers in this world. Our ultimate allegiance is not to this particular country, much as we are also called to love it, but to our home with God.

Our home is with God and we are to live as if we are in God's realm in the here and now. That means reaching out to the poor, the stranger, the one's who are taunted and more. In the realm of this world power, money, and recognition are important. In the world of Christ those are less important. When we walk in the halls of power the Christian is to recognize that they are to speak for the powerless. When we walk in the palaces of the wealthy we are to we who claim the name of Christ are to remember that he came to the poor and the outcast. When we have our faces in the news as pundits and are mentioned on the news as those with renown, then our notoriety is to be used for those who have been derided and mocked.

We are to be followers of Christ. Our real question is not 'What would Jesus do?' We're not Jesus. Our real question is, 'What am I being called to do?' The answer will change with the situation. Yet in that changing answer comes the call from Micah – to seek justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly with our God.

We are ambassadors to a world that is still becoming a new creation. Let us act like it.