Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: II Corinthians 5: 11-6:2

Text: So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (v. 20)

When I was a little boy my mother used to iron not only my father’s shirts* but his handkerchiefs, too! When I’d ask her about it she would tell me that she wanted my father to look his best out in public. But there was also a subtle “shadow” reason. At that time wives were judged by two things; how their family looked in public, and how clean the house was!

When I was in seminary an Old Testament professor named Arnold Black Rhodes taught an exegesis class on Genesis. He said that being “created in the image of God” meant that we Resemble God in that we can make decisions, have a Responsibility to God for the decisions that we make, are God’s Representatives or Stewards of Creation, and, finally, we are a Reflection of God.

The apostle Paul told the Corinthians that as followers of Jesus they were His “ambassadors”. Others “judge” the One that we worship by the way we act! As one country preacher said, “You may be the only bible that some people ever read”.

Lord, make me a good reflection of  your Kingdom so that my life may be an invitation to follow the teachings of Jesus. Amen. 

*This was before “wash & wear” and “no wrinkle”-“no iron”, neither of which is true!