Pete
Peterson’s first contact with Vietnam was in the Vietnam War. During a bombing
raid in 1966, his plane was shot down and he was taken prisoner. Over 30 years
later he returned as US Ambassador to Vietnam. One press article called him “a
walking billboard for reconciliation.” He realized years ago that God had not
saved his life for him to live in anger. Because he believed this, he used the
rest of his life and his position to make a difference by pushing for better
safety standards for children in Vietnam.
It is
a great responsibility and honor to be appointed as a representative of your
country to another. As followers of Christ we are “ambassadors for Christ” (2
Cor. 5:20). Just as God sent Christ to reconcile us to Himself (v.18), we now
have the ministry of “reconciliation” (v.19). Our message is that all can be
redeemed in Christ because God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that
we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (v.21).
In response to the reconciling love Jesus offers us, we can share that love with others. Let’s take our role seriously. Wherever God places us in this world, He can use us as walking billboards of reconciliation for Jesus Christ.
