“No . . messenger (is) greater than the one who sent him.” John 13:16 NIV
“You do not merely deliver a message; your life is His message – of mercy and forgiveness.”
My thoughts today are, “tell it like it is.”
Imagine if the FedEx driver thought himself more important than the package he was bringing to you, or the postman considered the job was about him rather than the mail he was delivering. They are only messengers doing the bidding of another, faithfully and reliably. It seems a challenge to remember, “It’s not about you!” Living as though everything is about you will not buy you friendships or popularity. “No . . messenger is greater than the one who sent him.” John 13:16 NIV.
You and I have a job to do, a most important one. Simply stated, your task to complete is delivering God’s message faithfully and accurately. Tell it freely and frequently, but tell it like it is, not as you may wish it to be. Your willingness and carefulness to bear the message of grace and faith reflects your regard for the One who sends you. “We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you . . be reconciled to God.” See 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NLT. The Bible tells a story of a reluctant messenger who considered himself more important than the message.
You know the story of “Jonah and the Whale.” Read Jonah 1-4. God gave Jonah a message to deliver to Nineveh, but Jonah didn’t want to deliver it because he disagreed with some of it. He did not like the assignment or the message. God told the prophet to go to Nineveh, and warn them to repent and they would be spared judgment. The part about God’s judgment on wicked Nineveh, he really liked; the part about God’s forgiveness and grace, not so much!
Jonah did not want to be a messenger. He agreed that Nineveh deserved God’s judgment for their wickedness. But Jonah did not want them to repent or receive mercy. To avoid the assignment, he first boarded a ship in the opposite direction and when that didn’t work out so well, he did go to Nineveh and indeed they did repent and God forgave. Jonah 3:8-11 NKJV. Jonah pouted, angry with God. He presumed that what he thought was to be preferred above what God said – a message of mercy and their subsequent redemption.
Don’t be resistant, nor reluctant. You and I are called to go where God says to go, and say what God says to say. The Bible says, “The Lord gave the word, great was the company who published it.” Psalm 68:11 KJV. Our task is not to persuade; it is simply to faithfully relay the message of God’s love and mercy, and do so with honesty and humility. “And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? . . faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Read Romans 10:13-17 NIV.
All around you are people living in a modern Nineveh, not by choice but by birth, who dread God’s judgment but are unaware of His love and kindness. You do not merely deliver a message; your life is His message – of love, forgiveness, and mercy. Some may not respond positively at that moment but others will, and for all, seeds of truth are sown in hearts. Our task is not to persuade; it is simply to faithfully relay the message of God’s love and mercy, and do so with honesty and humility. See Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV/Mark 16:15-18 NKJV. No adlibbing; souls depend upon your accuracy and authenticity. What another does with that message is theirs and God’s responsibility. God alone can and will convince, convict, and change hearts and minds.
My prayer for you today is to share the message God placed in your heart for others.