Thursday April 14, 2022
One of my fondest memories as a young boy was belonging to a local chapter of the Royal Ambassadors (RA’s) at my home church in Upper Marlboro. The RA’s is a mission-oriented discipleship program for boys in elementary school sponsored by Women on Mission (WMU). It has many similarities to the Boy Scouts (camping, badges, projects, and more), however, it is Christ-centered with a focus on the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). (There are a variety of other WMU missions programs available for all children and older students.)
The purpose of the RA’s is outlined in their pledge, which I still have memorized to this day and have taught on several occasions. There are five core principles in the pledge.
As a Royal Ambassador, I will do my best:
To become a well-informed, responsible follower of Christ.
To have a Christ-like concern for all people.
To learn how to carry the message of Christ around the world.
To work with others in sharing Christ.
To keep myself clean and healthy in mind and body.
My parents, teachers, and RA leaders helped instill these principles in me, which in turn, helped to shape and mold my Christian life to where it is today. As followers of Jesus, we would all do well in living out these principles. In doing so, we give our BEST when:
First, “We become well-informed, responsible followers of Christ.” Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Store up God’s Word in your life by reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on it so that when someone asks you a question, you will be ready to give an answer that reflects Christ. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
Second, “We have a Christ-like concern for all people.” Every day we encounter people who are different from us. They may look different and act differently. They may come from different races, ethnic groups, backgrounds, and religions. We can point them to Christ by demonstrating that we genuinely love and care for them – no matter who they are or where they have come from. In Mark 12:31, Jesus reminds us that “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” One practical way to do this is with random acts of kindness and serving others as Christ served us.
Third, “We learn how the message of Christ is carried around the world.” In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells His followers that they will be His “witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” In Acts 13, the first international mission trip took place as Paul and Barnabas were sent out to Gentile territories. It is important for us to learn from the success and failures of those who went before us and to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to keep us on mission.
Fourth, “We work with others in sharing Christ.” There is something special about coming together with other like-minded believers and churches in proclaiming the good news of Jesus. This is why being an active member of your local associations and state and national conventions is important. There is indeed strength in numbers and we are “better together.” Proverbs 27:17 says that “iron sharpens iron,” and Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.”
Fifth, “We keep ourselves clean and healthy in mind and body.” We need to honor the Lord Jesus Christ through our words and actions. In Romans 12:1-2, we are reminded that Christ-followers should “Present [their] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is [their] spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
It is an honor and a high calling to be an ambassador. Whenever I get an opportunity, I enjoy driving down “Embassy Row” in Washington, D.C., looking at the embassies and residences of the various ambassadors from around the world. I am reminded that these ambassadors are in the U.S., each representing their nation and its leadership. These people are usually the best of the best and they want to represent their nations with excellence.
The RA motto, found in 2 Corinthians 5:20, says, “We are ambassadors for Christ.” As His ambassadors, there is no higher calling for the Christ-follower than to represent the King of Kings and Lord of Lords with excellence. My prayer is that you will be the ambassadors for Christ in your homes, workplaces, schools, and communities. In all that we say and do, may we glorify HIS name.
Please know that I love you all and I am praying for you. If there are any specific prayer requests that you have and/or anything that I can assist you with, please do not hesitate to contact me at glenn.swanson@baysidebaptist.com.
All Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV).