Who are you? One of our recent YBL posts talked about identity. In an environment where we can create virtual profiles, there is a danger of trying to create our own identity—construct ourselves.  The issue with the constructed self is that it can break with reality.  Man is a created being, given an identity by his Creator. We are not free to decide (at the deepest level) what we are ‘for’. That could sound restrictive, but no more so than recognizing a tile saw has a specific purpose. The liberty of recognizing our created status comes by realizing that you are made for a purpose—there is no such thing as a pointless person.

That is true for everyone, whether they know it or not. However, when a person becomes a Christian, they receive another identity—what you might call their other job. Whatever your vocation—banker,  realtor, pinball machine repairman, shark fisherman or sword swallower—you are an ambassador.

An ambassador lives in a foreign country, representing and reconciling issues between their host country and their homeland. As Christians we are told that we are ‘citizens of heaven’ (Philippians 3:20), but yet we are called to be faithful citizens and servants as we work where we are.  Consider Paul who said in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20:

God…through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

Being an ambassador does not mean you have more to do. Rather, everything you already do at work is transformed by the knowledge that you are representing the King of Heaven. Our demeanor is softened, our motivations are transformed, our determination greater–and rather than using others, we are freed to appreciate people as ends in themselves.

The goal is reconciliation. The world was created to reflect the glory of God, and the people on it are made in His Image. We carry the message that, though people have by rebellion failed to reflect God’s glory, Jesus has come to repair what was broken in that rebellion. The end of His work is that, by believing in Him, we can be reconciled to God. Once that happens, we begin the job of announcing to others that this reconciliation is possible. The wonderful by-product of this is that we make peace with one another, and piece by piece, all manner of brokenness will begin to mend.

Are you ready to go to work?