Christian Reflection and Prayer

An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but
a reliable messenger brings healing.
Proverbs 13:17 NLT

A credible message needs a credible messenger
because charisma without character is catastrophe.
Peter Kuzmic

Letters from God

A U.S. ambassador resides in a foreign country and
yet lives on U.S.-owned property. Though the laws of
that land may differ from ours, the ambassador is still
responsible to uphold the laws and rules of his own
government. His words and actions can never be
wholly his for he does not act in his own capacity.
When he speaks, he is a messenger for his
government. When he acts, his deeds reflect on the
country he represents. We are Christ's ambassadors
and therefore his messengers. Too often we think that
the message we preach reflects our faith. However,
on a much deeper level it is the message of our
everyday words and actions that are influential. We
are the letter from God that people read. We become
unreliable messengers when we speak crudely, gossip a
bout a neighbor, or act dishonestly.

Our words and actions reflect God, who lives inside us,
to people who never open a Bible or enter a church.
Never forget that you are an ambassador for Christ
and a messenger of hope. Ask his Spirit to empower
you to deliver the Good News with your life and words.

LORD, thank you for allowing me to be your ambassador.
Let my message be honest and true. Help me to
encourage others and to go out of my way to speak a
kind word. Forgive me for times when I have spoken
without thinking. Let me live in such a way that my
words and actions represent you so that my message
may be one of love and hope.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Praying through
the Bible by Cheri Fuller, Tyndale House Publishers
(2003), entry for April 21.