We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
2nd Corinthians 5:20
I often find myself cringing when I come across comments on social media posted by a Christian who is determined to speak for God, often using only parts of a Bible verse. I try very hard to never speak for God, unless I am certain God is leading me to speak (It has happened only twice so far in my life.), but we are called to be his representatives. Exactly how do we accomplish this? I believe we do this by allowing God to speak through us. If we know Christ, and I mean have an intimate relationship with him, we can speak to others of what we know. We can speak of Christ’s sacrifice for us and for others; we can speak of reconciliation to God through Christ’s sacrifice; we can speak of eternal life through belief in Christ.
In 2nd Corinthians 6, Paul tells us that “Our work as God’s servants gets validated-or not- in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly…” and then he lists almost every conceivable time people may be watching us. I encourage you to read the rest of this chapter on your own because it is wonderfully written. In verses 11-13, Paul admonishes the Corinthians (and us, as well) to “Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!” No matter our circumstances, we can tell others that today is the day for salvation.
Father, we do not want to squander the life you have given us, nor the salvation you have gifted us. Help us to know you better so that we may serve as your respresentatives. Help us to be alert and unswerving at our post, even during those “hard times, tough times, bad times” and when we have everything or nothing at all. Guide us, so we may guide others to you.
