A Royal Ambassador

I was thinking about some of my high school friends the other day.  I thought they were a wonderful bunch many, many years ago and I still do!  I was privileged to attend 7^th – 12^th grade in Tokyo, Japan where I lived with my missionary parents.  My siblings and I attended The American School in Japan, an international, English-speaking school.  The school was highly accredited and the teachers were well educated.  The students were mostly an elite group: children of successful businessmen from around the world, children of dignitaries from various countries, and a few “missionary-kids”, like me!

One of my classmates was Joan Reischauer, the daughter of Ambassador to Japan at that time, Edwin O. Reischauer.  Dr. Reischauer was actually born in Japan, spoke fluent Japanese, and had, in fact, attended ASIJ himself when his parents were missionaries in Japan.  He was a scholar and author of many books about Japan and the Japanese people: appointed by President Kennedy, as U.S Ambassador and still considered a highly influential person of building a viable relationship between the U.S. and Japan during his lifetime.  I remember thinking how exciting it was, to be friends with Joan…the daughter of a REAL ambassador!

In much the same way, Christians are ambassadors of God.  We might not feel like royalty but we are!  “He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us” (II Corinthians 5:19-20).  God, in His sovereignty has commissioned His own children to represent Him to those who do not know Him.  We have a highly compelling mission – to share the love of Jesus to those who have never experienced that personal and comforting love of Christ.  How can we not share with others the wonderful blessings that God has given to His believers?  Our lives should leave no doubt that we take our “appointment” seriously.

Dear Christian, how many souls will be glad in Heaven because of you and me?