Be the Ambassador

A video game my oldest son loved to play was "Civilization" - a game of great strategy ... in my opinion, too serious to be called a ... game. As we study the life of Jesus, it's clear to see how strategic God was in every detail. From Scripture, we know Jesus grew up in the small obscure village of Nazareth but later moved to the bustling Galilean city of Capernaum to begin His ministry; a city where there was a constant flow of peoples from Syria to Egypt. "Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan." (Matthew 4:25, NASB). Perhaps we can imagine the move from a small community to a populous city only to discover a longing for a quieter and slower pace of life. Then, there's the reality that spreading The Gospel is more important than our own personal preferences. It was not haphazardly that Jesus grew in safety and seclusion but then moved to where the people were - He had a message - He WAS the Message - and people from all walks of life, near and far, needed The Savior. David Livingstone said, "I will place no value on anything I have or possess unless it is in relationship to the kingdom of God." Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:20: "we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us." Sometimes God calls us out of our comfort zone in order to best use us for His kingdom and His glory. It's been said ships are safest in the harbor but that's not what ships are made for. Set sail ... be the ambassador!