An Ambassador Training Ground

Have you ever been on a trip away from home and been asked, “What is it like where you come from?” Or, “I heard that the people there all dress this way?” If you have answered these types of questions, you have acted as a representative of your homeland.

Every day, Christians and their families are also representatives. God clearly defines us as His ambassadors. Notice II Corinthians 5: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us…” (vs. 20).

Specifically, Paul was stating he was serving as Christ’s ambassador to the Corinthian brethren. Through this apostle’s words and deeds, in effect, God was beseeching or speaking to that congregation.

However, we are Christ’s ambassadors in a foreign land, this physical world. Philippians 3:20 states that “our citizenship is in heaven” (NKJV). As has been said often, our actions as individuals may be the only Bible someone will ever read!

The technical definition for the word “ambassador” begins to define our role as spiritual diplomats. Webster’s Dictionary says the term means “the highest-ranking diplomatic representative appointed by one country or government to represent it in another.” Of course, we are not all God’s “highest-ranking” officials—but we should strive to be! We should all walk this Earth as top-choice representatives of heaven.

Every interaction allows you to demonstrate and grow your diplomacy skills—lunch-time conversations with co-workers, small talk with a grocery store cashier, how we dress when we go to the gym.

Yet there is an annual event where we can truly shine as Christ’s ambassadors: the Feast of Tabernacles.

Each year during the Feast and Last Great Day, brethren travel abroad to where God has chosen to place His name (Deut. 14:23). More than any other time each year, we are on display. We are away from our physical hometowns and off to an unfamiliar and “foreign” location. The hotel staff and local business owners will get to know us and that we attend The Restored Church of God. During this time, our actions, attitudes, the words we use, how our children behave—how we behave—are all diplomatic gestures. They all reflect the God we serve.

The Feast pictures a future time when God’s government will be ruling on the Earth. It is an intense, eight-day opportunity to learn how to be better ambassadors and demonstrate how skillful we are in representing Him.

Successful Ambassadors

What makes a good ambassador? Those most successful are good communicators, skilled negotiators, highly professional and loyal to their homelands.

Let’s break these apart.

Good communicators must possess the ability to clearly and concisely convey messages visually, verbally and in written format. This takes years of practice.

God also emphasizes the importance of speaking with others: “But to do good and to communicate forget not…” (Heb. 13:16). How interesting that this puts communication on the same level as the broad statement of doing good. It is that important!

We must strive to communicate properly and regularly in every relationship we have: our spouses, children, managers, ministers, etc. Most important, we should talk with God regularly in prayer so that we can be more like Him and represent His Way more fully.

Physical ambassadors are good negotiators. They must be able to understand both sides of a situation and know where they can give and where they need to stand firm, always looking for win-win solutions. This takes strategic thinking, wisdom and skill.

While Christians may negotiate for certain things, such as the price of cars or houses, we do not necessarily negotiate on behalf of the Kingdom. However, because of our religious beliefs, we sometimes have to work with those in the world to smooth things over. Two classic examples are to secure time off for the Feast and allow a child to play on a school sports team despite being unable to play during the Sabbath.

Note that we must not budge on God’s commands, but we can help soften the other party’s thinking by going above and beyond in other ways. We can also garner favor by living the following verses:

• “If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom. 12:18).
• “A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Prov. 15:1).
• “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (25:11).

Ambassadors are also professional. This trait brings to mind other words like dependability, honesty, integrity and capability. Professionals are known to arrive on time, behave accordingly, dress to impress, and always finish what they start.

These are all godly traits we should demonstrate at home and the Feast!

Finally, loyal diplomats are those who have a deep devotion and faithfulness to whom they represent. They are willing to give their lives for their country. There is never any doubt that they have their homeland’s well-being as their top priority.

Similarly, Christians must always be prepared to sacrifice for God’s sake, including their own lives.

Without these skillsets, a physical diplomat could bring disgrace, reveal secrets, destroy trade relations or be the catalyst of international anger and hostility leading to war! But a skilled, experienced representative can improve or repair international relationships by giving the right public address, restore broken trade relations or bring an end to war and hostility.

Ambassador Example

While Benjamin Franklin was one of America’s Founding Fathers and helped draft the Declaration of Independence, he was also the nation’s first ambassador. He clearly demonstrated the vital skills of diplomacy.

At the beginning of the War of Independence (1776), the U.S. needed military aid for ships, supplies and personnel. Franklin was appointed minister to France in 1778. He established and maintained a good relationship with Paris and gained its support in the war against Britain. He secured a military alliance and successfully negotiated the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Without the help of French financial and military aid during that time, America may not have succeeded in its war.

So how did Franklin achieve such success without having any prior experience as an ambassador? How did he develop this unique skill set?

At the age of 20, Franklin had developed a list of 13 virtues he thought would help him avoid offenses. These were: temperance, silence, order, resolution, resolve, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility.

Franklin focused on one virtue each week and carefully evaluated his progress. He actively worked on developing his character in a systematic way. Forty-two years later—after a lifetime of applying these principles—he became the very first ambassador of the greatest nation the world has ever known.

Although Franklin was never converted, his list of virtues is based on important biblical principles that God’s people can glean valuable insight from as we prepare to keep God’s fall Feast days.

For those representing a spiritual Kingdom, our depth of knowledge and skill must go beyond the physical skills mentioned previously.

Virtues to Focus on

The following is a list of Benjamin Franklin’s virtues supported by Bible verses. These are traits we can put into action while at the Feast and afterward as we develop into better ambassadors of Christ and the Father.

Humility and Sincerity: When the Feast of Tabernacles was given to the ancient Israelites, they were commanded to stay in temporary dwellings as a reminder that they dwelt in tents after being freed from slavery in Egypt (Lev. 23:43-44). God miraculously delivered them to become an example nation—a “peculiar people”—to the rest of the world (Deut. 14:2).

In the modern sense, Christians are “strangers and pilgrims” on Earth (Heb. 11:13) and we must come to the Feast with the right attitude. We should remember that God has called us individually to attend the Feast. He wants each of us to learn how to better fear and worship Him (Deut. 14:23).

The greatest part of the Feast of Tabernacles is the abundance of spiritual food we receive. There are approximately 12 sermons and 11 sermonettes (including offertories)—that is about 20 percent of our yearly spiritual instruction and diet. Truly a spiritual Feast!

Each day, we should strive to arrive on time, be ready with our Bibles and notebooks, and attentively listen to the messages, desiring “the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (I Pet. 2:2). Professionals always show up on time.

We must remind ourselves that, without God revealing to us His Way, we are nothing (Gal. 6:3). We are on this Earth to do God’s will as our reasonable service (Rom. 12:1). We must go forth as faithful servants ready to put what we have learned into action!

Temperance and Moderation: Rejoicing at the Feast of Tabernacles is essential to keeping it—and it should be easy to do. In Deuteronomy 14:26, God outlined that we are to spend our second tithe on “whatsoever your soul lusts after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever your soul desires…and you shall rejoice, you, and your household.”

After faithfully saving our second tithe for an entire year, we are commanded to enjoy that perfect steak or lamb chop, chocolate cake or special beverage of choice.

Just think how well it reflects on God for thousands of His people to be joyful and smiling for eight days straight!

But this does not give us license to go wild. As God commands, we are to let our “moderation be known unto all men” and to grow in temperance or self-control (Phil. 4:5; II Pet. 1:6).

Think how poorly it would reflect the Kingdom of God if one of its representatives became drunk in public.

Conversely, having an abundance of funds to spend over eight days provides us with an opportunity to show the world we are different. As future king-priests (Rev. 1:6), we can treat ourselves to enjoy quality things without going overboard or to extremes.

Tranquility and Silence: Tranquility is often another name for peace and quiet. When the Kingdom of God arrives in its fullness, the Earth will be filled with peace (Isa. 9:7). During the Feast, God’s ambassadors have plenty of opportunities to “seek peace” (Psa. 34:14; I Pet. 3:11).

This is a challenge because the world is anything but peaceful. Occasionally, situations arise that will test our ability to remain in a peaceful state. Some examples: The hotel room you receive is not what you booked and paid for, you get into a fender bender on the drive to the Feast site, the maid does not clean your room, the waiter messed up your order, or an unconverted mate does not want you to go. Whatever the case, we must remember to remain calm in every situation and “let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Col. 3:15).

Listening and assessing each situation will help us avoid unnecessary shame and folly (Prov. 18:13). We must “be swift to hear and slow to speak and slow to wrath” no matter how bad the situation. God’s representatives must use “soft answers” to avoid arguments and to quell difficult conversations (15:1; 25:15). Any good negotiator must be able to handle difficult situations and use these skills.

Order and Cleanliness: Setting the proper example to the world around us is key. One of the most impactful ways we can do so is through practicing I Corinthians 14:33: “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” Also, verse 40: “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

Avoiding confusion and chaos by doing everything decently and in order is what God’s way of life is all about.

Think about how neat and tidy the meeting hall looks with chairs perfectly aligned and symmetrical flower vases adorning the stage. Everything looks like it was done by experienced professionals. Now let’s add to this picture hundreds of well-dressed people, with well-behaved children, all smiling and politely interacting. It is no wonder we often hear such positive accounts every year from hotel staff and visitors.

There are many other simple ways we can let our lights shine before men (Matt. 5:16). We can keep our hotel rooms in decent order to make the maid’s job easier. Or, if you go out to a park for a group outing, always leave the place better than you found it. Each time we do these things, we are outwardly representing the way things will be once God’s government is in place.

Work Ethic and Resolve: On the night before His crucifixion, Christ told His disciples, “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another” (John 13:35). Demonstrating love and concern toward others through service shows those in the world that we are part of something different and special.

With so many of God’s people around, the Feast affords us countless ways to serve one another. Taking someone out to eat, being an usher, performing special music, watching children for parents to enjoy a night out, and taking notes for the hard of hearing are just a few ways we can put this into action.

Jesus stated, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). It is important to God that we ensure no one is excluded. The widows, fatherless and those without physical family are also specifically mentioned in the command to keep the Feast (Deut. 16:14). Everyone plays a part in rejoicing and ensuring others rejoice too.

Although the Feast is a time we take off from our regular physical labor, we should not see it as a vacation from doing God’s Work. Just the opposite! Challenge yourself and your family to come up with unique ways to serve your fellow brethren. Set your resolve and determine to have the best and most blessed Feast ever—never missing an opportunity to serve your fellow diplomats.

Expanding Reach

The role of a physical ambassador can literally affect the course of the world. This is vastly truer of us as spiritual ambassadors.

Bible prophecy shows that God’s servants will soon fan out around the whole Earth, teaching His Way. Acts 1:8 states: “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The 12 apostles did fulfill some of this verse, yet they did not go to “the uttermost part of the earth.”

Mark 16:15 reveals a command of Jesus Christ that has not yet been fulfilled: “Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Soon, God’s Kingdom will be preached to every single person alive. Those who are ambassadors for Christ today will soon take on a much bigger, obvious role of being witnesses in every nation.

By being good representatives of Jesus Christ now, we help ensure we will be born-again members of the Family of God. We can then help fulfill the prophecies mentioned in Acts and Mark.

As the Feast approaches, take the time to reflect on this unique training opportunity for the awesome events shortly ahead. Let’s give our fellow brethren and the world a foretaste of the soon-coming Kingdom of God—a Kingdom we have been called to represent now as ambassadors.