| “For our commonwealth [citizenship] has its existence in the heavens, from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior” (Philippians 3:20 JND). |
| “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). |
| As I write this meditation in February, 2022, there is a large protest going on in the city of Ottawa, the capital of Canada. A group of truckers, supported by many other people, are protesting the government’s rule that all truck drivers who cross the Canadian/U.S. border must be vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus. A lot of big trucks have been driven to the city, and the protesters are vowing to stay there until they get what they want. Many other protests have taken place at different times in various countries, and sometimes the protests have concerned things about which Christians could agree. What should we do in such situations? |
| It is sometimes hard to know what to do, for when we have a new life in Christ, that new life wants righteousness in this world. We want to see wrong things straightened out, and we want to see good moral principles upheld. However, I believe that our verses today give us clear instruction as to how to act. |
| First of all, we must remember that this is not our home. As our first verse says, our commonwealth (or citizenship) is in heaven. Yes, we are all naturally citizens of the country to which we belong, but our real citizenship is heavenly. |
| Secondly, we are sent back into this world as ambassadors. An ambassador is one who is sent from one country to another, in order to represent the interests of the country to which he belongs. For example, there is an American ambassador here in Canada. He is a U.S. citizen, but he is sent here to Canada to represent the interests of the United States. |
| Would you expect to see the American ambassador out on the streets of Ottawa right now, waving a placard, and shouting out that he or she supports the truckers in their demands? No, you would not see that happen. If it did happen, the American government would quickly recall him or her, and make it clear that this was not the proper way for an ambassador to act. |
| What then does an ambassador do? He makes sure that his government’s point of view on any matter is clearly stated. This is the right way for us to act as Christians. We are not here to straighten out this world; it is under judgment. In the same way the American ambassador is not here to straighten out affairs in Canada. But if he is asked, he will give his government’s position on any matter that affects Canada/U.S. relations. |
| We are far more effective as ambassadors in this world, than if we join forces with this world and try to set the everything right. Rather than straightening things out, our job is to give out the gospel, so that people can be saved. |
