Being A Representative
In the government, being a representative means to work on behalf of your constituents—to make fair and just laws, balance the budget, and choose judge appointments wisely. In business a representative works to showcase a company’s products or services to potential buyers or clients.
But what does it mean to be a representative of Christ? It means putting off your own desires and working to share the message of Christ. As Christians, we are charged with telling the world around us, one person at a time, about the love, forgiveness, and hope that Jesus Christ offers to everyone who surrenders to Him.
Being this representative is not easy. Business representatives may need to showcase their products to a buyer that believes he is already satisfied or well served by his current supplier. That is not an easy sale to make. We are charged to share Christ’s message of repentance and forgiveness to all people. We are called to love and pray for our enemies, definitely not a simple task. Even if we do not perceive the person we are talking with as an enemy on the surface, we must always remember that those who are not Christians are by their sinful natures enemies of Christ. They need our love and prayers. They are lost, so very lost, even when they think their current life has served them well. This is a battle fought on the spiritual level. Be prepared for conflict, but do not instigate it. Be prepared to disagree, but remember Whom you are serving and act in a manner worthy of your calling.
Are you approaching your representative job as you should? Does your day start with prayer? Are you putting on the full armor of God before you get out of bed each morning? Does your day continue in prayer? Do you choose to show love to each person you encounter no matter how difficult they are being, no matter how much you disagree with their choices? This task is too overwhelming for us until we understand and acknowledge that each person is a soul in need of a Savior. Only through God’s power can we be bold enough to share His message in the face of opposition. Only through the Spirit’s working will we choose to love the unloveable.
When we allow God to change our hearts, we see our mission more clearly. We see the hearts and the hurts of our neighbors, our co-workers, and the people we meet in the store or at the park. It is only because of God’s grace that we have been saved, and only through His grace that anyone is saved. It is God’s work to save the lost. Our job is to be obedient and be His representatives in this lost and dying world.
It is possible for us to be a solid and effective representative for Christ—when we rely upon God for strength, for discernment, and for that unending supply of love we need to do our jobs effectively!
Carol Emmert and her husband Kurt are in their 15th year of home education. With one graduate and one high school senior, Carol writes with a practical look at the whole journey of home education. Focusing on experienced based education and frugal ways to teach and learn well, Carol offers encouragement that anyone, even working moms, can homeschool successfully. Carol writes for her local newspaper, the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, and reviews books for several Christian Publishers. You can find her love of nature, field trips, and lifelong learning on her blog: Home Sweet Life.
