The Calm Before the Storm

Have you ever stopped to think about the role of an ambassador? 

I have to admit, I have my preconceived notions and biases of ambassadors and their importance in our society. I live near DC, and I’ve seen the cars they drive and the houses they live in. I’ve peered into the windows of the restaurants where they dine; places I can only afford to go during restaurant week. When I dine during those select times of year, I like to pretend I’m someone important – like a diplomat. Ironically, I think they avoid restaurant week like the plague because us ‘common folk’ have infested and crowded their normal spots. It’s funny, even the restaurant staff seem to look at us with disdain. It’s as if they somehow know I’m not a VIP – or maybe it’s just the cheap suit that I come in with.

Anyway, I know they’re not all bad. I know that not all Diplomats park in handicap spots or no parking zones with obnoxious fearlessness of being towed or ticketed. I’m sure that some of them actually respect and even fear our laws. (Wow, where did that come from?)

But back to my original point. What do Ambassadors do? What is their role? What is their trade? A quick search through the dictionary showed me this:

Ambassador: a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by a government to represent it on a temporary mission, as for negotiating a treaty.

Diplomat: a person who is tactful and skillful in managing delicate situations, handling people, etc.

To be honest, I never thought much about ambassadors until I had a conversation with a friend the other day. And as I reflected over the past week, I realized I had actually had several conversations with a few people over the past week alone that had me thinking what it meant to be an ambassador.

For example, what would happen if a country wronged another country in some way (think of any international crisis), and then the ambassador who was appointed to negotiate and handle the situation simply said, “You’ve attacked us. Our gloves are coming off. We’re taking you out. You deserve it. You brought this on your self.” 

Is that the role of an ambassador? An ambassador is someone who is a diplomatic official of the highest rank who is supposed to be tactful and skilled at managing delicate situations. I’m not saying that the outcome will never mean fighting back in some way, but it always has to be handled delicately and tactfully first. An ambassador has to communicate its own interest as well as hearing and understanding the opposition’s point of view. The goal is to reach resolution, not to spark conflict.

But let’s talk practically. How many of us are actually ambassadors? What’s an ambassador got to do with me?

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. – 2 Corinthians 5:20

Whether we like it or not, we are ambassadors…one way or another. What we do and how we respond is a reflection not only on us, but on everything we stand for.

Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve been wronged? Maybe someone was hating on you and started passing around rumors. Or maybe you were in a relationship that felt one-sided – you were the one always giving of yourself, but never seemed to get anything in return. And when all was said and done, they made it look like you were the one to blame. I’m sure that many marriages look like this. Maybe you’re in a situation where someone has cheated you or robbed you of something. Maybe they literally stole from you. Or maybe that robbery looked like rape.

What then? Are all bets off?

Forget being an ambassador, I want to be an assassin!

It’s easy to be good ambassadors when nothing is really at stake, but what kind of ambassadors would we be if we have truly been hurt and wounded? Forgiveness is a big element to being an effective ambassador. Why? Because an ambassador needs to be able to have a clear mind. They need to be able to hear both sides. That’s why cops are taken off of cases when it hits too close to home. That’s why doctors are not allowed to operate on loved ones – too much is at stake. It’s too hard to keep a clear head. It’s too hard to listen to both sides if we haven’t forgiven the other person.

Have you ever given someone the silent treatment because you were trying to hold back the biting words that wanted to flow from your mouth? That’s a good first step, but if you stop there, and bottle up the resentment and anger, that message of hate is going to seep through. Think of it this way, how effective of an ambassador would you be if you just went into a treaty meeting with your mouth shut and ears and mind closed? 

Would you be stopping any wars that way?

A friend of mine keeps saying, “I’m over it. Their loss. I’m done with [insert name here]!” There’s an inner war taking place. I had to tell them,

If you were an ambassador, you wouldn’t be stopping any wars.

When they respond to that individual with silence, or with anger in their heart, it may not be an outward lashing, but there is all sorts of hurt, anger, and bitterness going on inside. Even if the other person can’t see it, what war is going on inside of you? Pastor Dale just blogged on the destructive nature of withholding forgiveness (Getting Rid of Resentment).

What wars are you stopping as an ambassador?

When MPF broke up with me over a text message after nearly two years of being in a relationship, the last thing I wanted to do was take the first step towards reconciliation. The last thing I felt I had to do was forgive. After all, I had a right to be upset. But if I held onto that bitterness, I would have been the one to experience a civil war because God had placed within me His spirit – a spirit that would have been battling with the Adversary’s spirit.

Before you go telling someone how THEY screwed up, or how THEY were wrong, or how THEY should “grow”, check YOUR motivation and heart. Are you doing it out of a spirit of helping them? Or is it just a sophisticated way of getting in the last word?

What kind of ambassador are you?

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:31, 32