The New English Translation ren- ders verse 5 more plainly: “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward out- siders, making the most of the op- portunities.” We never know if or when a fam- ily member, coworker, or perfect stranger might create an opportu- nity for us to share knowledge and understanding about the Kingdom of God. APPOINTMENT In an honest government, there is no way to buy or “politic” your way into a position. In the world, how- ever, this is rarely the case. Gener- ally, in the US, the position of am- bassador is a reward for supporting the president. It’s supposed to be an appointment based on merit—fruit. God’s representatives are appointed to their position based on the fruit of their lives; they are not voted into the job. None of those called by God have walked through the door and de- manded to be appointed as ambas- sadors for the Kingdom. God the Father draws people to Christ (John 6:44) because He can see our indi- vidual potential to contribute to the work. In John 15:16, Christ said: You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
asked, according to 1 Peter 3:15. The goal is for our approach to every- thing to align with the truth. There should never be any conflict or con- tradiction. Even in worldly politics, it makes sense for an ambassador and the President to be on the same page. COMMON GROUND AND PATIENCE An important skill in building re- lationships is finding common ground. We must develop this skill. Good ambassadors emphasize ar- eas of agreement and de-emphasize disagreements. For those in God’s Church, this never means compro- mising our core beliefs or the Truth. Christ never compromised with the truth. Finding common ground in- volves knowing when to speak and when to remain silent. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To everything there is a season,” and in the sec- ond half of verse 7 it states: “A time to keep silent, and a time to speak.” Christ himself explained this princi- ple further in Matthew 7:6: Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls
before swine, lest they tram- ple them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. Skilled ambassadors know when to speak boldly under pressure. And when not to. Over the years, many Christians have had discussions about church doctrines, hot-button topics, or current events with some- one who has not yet been called. Sometimes, it’s wise to back off and let things go. It does no good to force the truth on someone who just wants to argue. Through God’s Spir- it, we must be bold and speak the truth, but always with genuine con- cern for others, never in a self-righ- teous or argumentative way. Finding common ground also re- quires patience. A Chrisian am- bassador must listen to understand and pray for inspiration to provide answers that reflect the mind of the King we represent. In Colossians 4:5-6, it says: Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
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