WHEN WE LOOK around the world today, instead of peace, reconciliation, and development, we often witness envy, division, conflict, and violence. Nations are divided, tribes are fighting against one another, communities are fractured, and even families struggle with bitterness and misunderstanding. In such a troubled world, the message of peace is not merely desirable but is urgently needed.
One of the institutions established with the hope of maintaining peace among nations is the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. The personnel who serve there are sent by their respective countries. However, once they join the UNPF and are garbed in the UN peacekeepers’ blue berets or blue helmets, they no longer act as soldiers of the nations they represent but serve as soldiers of the United Nations for the duration they are in. Their role in the international arena is to promote dialogue, reconciliation, and cooperation among people who might otherwise stand in opposition to one another. In short, they act as agents of peace.
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Similarly, the Bible reminds Christians that the day they accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and receive baptism, their identity changes. They no longer primarily belong to a tribe or nation, but first and foremost, to the Lord Jesus Christ and are called to live on this earth as ambassadors for Christ.
However, when we look around the world, and particularly in my region of Northeast India, we sometimes observe a troubling reality. Even though many identify themselves as Christians or followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, loyalty to tribe or land often seems more important than loyalty to Christ. Many people are willing to sacrifice their lives for their tribe or land, but very few are willing to surrender their lives fully for Christ.
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The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 that God has given believers the “ministry of reconciliation.” Through Jesus Christ, God reconciled humanity to Himself, and now He entrusts this message to those who follow Him. Paul even declares that believers are “ambassadors for Christ,” as though God were making His appeal through them.
This calling carries a profound meaning where an ambassador does not speak his own message but represents the one who sent him. Likewise, Christians are called to represent Christ through their words, actions, and character. Their mission is to proclaim the good news of the gospel, which is the message that through Jesus Christ, people can be reconciled to God and experience true peace through the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ. The moment a person becomes a child of God through faith in Christ, their identity is transformed.
While we may belong to different nations, cultures, and social backgrounds, our foremost identity becomes that of a Christian-we are one in Christ” is Galatians 3:28. This identity calls us to rise above the divisions that the world often emphasises, whether political, ethnic, or social, and to live in a way that reflects the love, mercy, and grace of Christ. That is why the Apostle Paul urges believers in Philippians 1:27: “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” The life of a Christian should reflect the message he or she proclaims.
Believers are called to live lives worthy of the gospel so that others may be drawn to Christ through their witness. Anything that contradicts the spirit of the gospel—hatred, pride, jealousy, injustice, fighting, killings—undermines the message of reconciliation that Christians are called to share.
To be an ambassador of Christ, therefore, is not merely a title but a responsibility. It means bringing hope where there is despair, working for reconciliation where there is division, and promoting peace where there is hatred. Through lives that reflect Christ’s love, believers become living witnesses to the possibility of reconciliation- between individuals, communities, and ultimately between humanity and God.
For Christians, Christ is not only the giver of peace but is the One we represent. As His ambassadors, we are entrusted with the sacred task of carrying His message of reconciliation, bringing hope and peace to a broken world. May the love, peace, reconciliation, understanding and forgiveness prevail among the Christians of Northeast India and remind ourselves we are Christ’s ambassadors for Peace in the broken world.
(The author is Pastor, The Journey Church, New Delhi. The views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ukhrul Times. Ukhrul Times values and encourages diverse perspectives. The author can be reached at letlal.haokip@gmail.com)