All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation …
- from 2 Corinthians 5:18

God has given us good work to do: the ministry of reconciliation.

Our work takes place inside God’s larger work. Through Christ, he is restoring relationships between himself and the lost and broken people who fill our world. Through Christ all is forgiven. Through Christ, we are made new.

The work of Christ frames our ministry of reconciliation. We reconcile with each other – crossing the lines and barriers that would ordinarily isolate us from others – in the same style of the Jesus who reached out to the social outcasts, the outsiders, and the broken-hearted. But more importantly we join Christ in the good work of reconciling people to the God who loves.

Our temptation is to outsource the ministry of reconciliation to professionals. We look to missionaries and ministers to do this work. That’s their job, right?

God in his wisdom has given this ministry of reconciliation to people like us. He hasn’t restricted it to the professionals or to people who’ve been licensed. He hasn’t made it a rare vocation. Instead, he’s give us with all our fear, all our shyness, all our self-consciousness this weighty ministry.

And, lest we doubt God’s wisdom, you’re here. You’ve heard the good news about Jesus. You’ve heard the invitation to be reconciled to God. For hundreds of years ordinary men and women have taken up the mantle of this ministry of reconciliation and with trembling lips told friends, family-members, and strangers that God wants to be in a relationship with them.

The missionaries and ministers do their part, but so do the rest of us. We have a role to play. God has commissioned us. What a blessing!

Take a moment to pray today that God would prepare you to join in this ministry of reconciliation. Ask God to give you opportunities to join the work he’s doing in the lives of people around. Pray for boldness, courage, and wisdom.