Ambassadors for Christ

Lunminthang Haokip *

AMBASSADORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONERS: Nations of the world have to act upon daily urgencies and aspirations of their people in the international field. For smooth and accurate country-to-country transactions of matters official, diplomatic and trade & commerce, channels of communication are opened under high-profile missions named High Commissions in Commonwealth countries and Embassies in their non-commonwealth counter- parts.

Men in diplomatic jobs hard-sell the country they represent, strengthen relations, take care of visa issues, enhance trade interests and most important, adhere to their National policies and programmes without landing in conflict with the agenda of the Nations they are sent to. It's said, diplomats know how to put their foot down without stamping upon anyone's feet.

BIDS TO RECONCILE HEAVEN AND EARTH: Out of nothing, God made the earth, and out of dust, men, in His "own likeness, to have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth (Genesis 1:26)."

SIN BROUGHT SUFFERING: The first parents in the garden of Eden were created to 'replenish' the earth and take good care of he entire creation in accordance with the will of God. But the first lady of Eden got irresistibly tempted and committed the first sin to have made her world heavy-laden with the displeasure of the Almighty.

Her husband, Adam, followed suit; and human suffering had multiplied in the fallen world. Death came as the aftermath, and to keep oneself alive, one had to toil hard and earn livelihood 'by the sweat of one's brow (Gen 3:19).' Some people's inclination to earn a living "by the sweat of others' brow" was the offshoot of first-parental disobedience in an un-reconciled habitat that compounded the interest on sin.

AMBASSADORS TO RECONCILE THE WORLD: Sin and human rebellion on earth jeopardized the 'policy and purpose' of the Creator. The voices of the Prophets sent in the Old Testament times were heard and accepted in parts, but couldn't fully achieve heaven's desired target.

To reconcile humans-gone-berserk being most vital in His scheme of things, God sent His only Son on earth, to be Heaven's Ambassador in the greatest diplomatic mission to reclaim the world for Himself: "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them ; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19)."

To get reconciled to God, man must bank solely on the finished work on the Cross. Human efforts to do so will falter, and not hold much water.

THE SRI LANKA EXPERIENCE: In 2013, we Officer Trainees of 113th ITP of LBSNAA, Mussoorie, were taken to Sri Lanka as a part of a Foreign Exposure trip. Surprisingly, the island Nation had many innovative systems of administration worth copying. "Womb-to-Tomb" care-concept originated from there.

An official call of the entourage on the HC of India gave us a glimpse of the responsibilities of our High Commissioner in Colombo. Thanks to the HC's efforts, we happened to be Sri Lanka's largest trading partner.

Indian brands like Ashok Leyland, Maruti India and Tata Motors made their presence heavily felt in Colombo and other cities. Besides, Gurgaon-based RITES were engaged in a railway project in the foreign soil. It was also visibly apparent that the Diplomats were working hard to better bilateral ties through improving cultural and social relations.

AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST: The Son of God suffered extreme pain and utmost agony on the Cross so that we sinners may become winners and overcomers. The price of the world's sins was paid for and imputed to Him and He in turn, gave us His righteousness, provided we accept Him as our personal Saviour, so that we may escape the penalty of final judgment.

Having eased the way to salvation at the cost of shedding sinless blood, God expects every saved soul to spread the Good News about life after death and win souls for His kingdom, using the Gospel to bring peace to 'troubled lives' as Ambassadors for Christ: "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20)."

EMBASSIES OF PEACE AND JOY: In ancient Roman empire, the peaceful subjects were herded under Senatorial Province; and the rebellious ones, who needed ambassadors most, were named Imperial Province. There may be pockets of 'Imperial Province' even within the Church-fold. Wisdom of His kingdom has not sunk in on the hard-hearted. The finer application of the Word had not taken roots in the psyche.

Despite regular religious practices, own will still rules the roost and divine will plays second fiddle in the mind. Penitent and repented ones, who know they were saved at a price, are in the privileged senatorial province of God.

Having tasted spiritual blessing through total brokenness and Him-dependent faith in every crucial turn of life, they are notionally assigned, through heavenly prompting, the reciprocal responsibility of exhibiting Christ-like nature to attract and convince the 'imperial province' of the 'joy unspeakable' kept in store in the 'embassies of Peace.'

THE PERKS : Selected from the brainiest lot through gruelling tests, Ambassadors to another country are provided the best of perks. God desires over-the-top committed players endowed with superb emotional intelligence to 'suffer' and offer His bumper Gift to His 'preferred' mankind: Salvation of the soul.

Inexhaustible 'perks' await those who are discerned enough to play their roles well as sincere functionaries in the 'Highest of Commissions.'