II Corinthians 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
Colossians 3:1-2 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth”
Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
In “The Back Channel”, Ambassador William Burns tells the following story:
“When I was a junior diplomat, George Shultz used to invite outbound U.S. ambassadors into his office for a farewell chat. He would walk over to a large globe near his desk (which many years later I had in my own office as deputy secretary) and ask each ambassador to point to ‘your country.’ Invariably, the ambassador would put a finger on the country of her and his assignment. Shultz would then gently move their finger across the globe to the United States – making the not-so-subtle point that diplomats should always remember who they represent and where they come from. Not a bad lesson to reinforce today.”
Perspective is everything for ambassadors and diplomats. While these professionals are immersed in a climate and culture of a foreign land, and strive to build relationships and develop mutual understanding with foreign officials, they are there for a very specific reason and purpose. A diplomat must always be mindful that they serve and represent their homeland. They are away from home to meet the objectives and goals of the place of their citizenship. There will be opportunities in their efforts for pathways of mutual benefit, but the goals of their sending land should always reign supreme in their minds.
We are ambassadors for Christ, and our perspective is critically important. While we are immersed in a climate and culture of a foreign land, and strive to build relationships and develop mutual understanding with those around us, we are here for a very specific reason and purpose. We must always be mindful that we serve and represent our homeland in heaven. We are away from our heavenly home to meet the objectives and goals of the place of our citizenship. There will be opportunities in our efforts for pathways of mutual benefit, but the goals of our sending land should always reign supreme in our minds.
PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO SET OUR AFFECTIONS ON THINGS ABOVE. We must always remember who we represent and where we come from!
