18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:18–20 (ESV)
Through the Bible: 2 Corinthians 5-9
Outrage = Eyeballs.
It is a sad truth the computer programmers behind social media discovered long ago. Consumers are more likely to click, retweet, and share stories that make them mad. Rage means revenue. Clicks mean cash. And algorithms amplify division, not divine grace.
But it is to this culture of outrage God appoints us as ambassadors. Rather than spreading whatever message stirs the crowd, ambassadors seek to stir the soul. We speak for a kingdom that is not of this world, instead of feeding the worst impulses of this one. .
Ambassadors in an Outrage Culture
An ambassador is a representative of one kingdom living and working in another. He represents the interests of his home country. He speaks on behalf of his king. His task is to foster goodwill, maintain peace, and build trust between two territories that may not understand each other—and may not even like each other.
An ambassador doesn’t freelance. He doesn’t improvise policy. He doesn’t pick fights to boost engagement.
When he speaks, his king is making an appeal through him.
An ambassador’s role is never more crucial than when his host country is at war with his home country. The stakes are raised along with the temperature. Misunderstandings become powder kegs. Words become weapons or bridges. And in those moments, reconciliation becomes the number one priority—not a side ministry, not a nice idea, but the central mission.
But what does it mean to be reconciled? And just as importantly, what does it not mean? Let’s look at a few things reconciliation is not.
Reconciliation Is Not Niceness
Reconciliation is not avoidance. It isn’t pretending everything is fine. It isn’t smiling through clenched teeth. Reconciliation is costly because someone has to absorb the hit. Paul says God reconciled the world to Himself by “not counting their trespasses against them”—which means He counted them against Christ (vv. 19, 21).
If reconciliation cost Jesus His life, we shouldn’t expect it to cost us nothing.
Reconciliation Is Not Neutrality
Ambassadors don’t represent themselves. They speak on behalf of a King. That means Christians are not Switzerland—we aren’t called to be neutral, disengaged, or silent. We speak with clarity, courage, and humility, not because we are brilliant, but because the message isn’t ours.
Our calling is not to win arguments but to represent a Kingdom. Not to sharpen our outrage but to extend our King’s invitation.
Reconciliation Refuses to See People “According to the Flesh”
Paul says that in Christ we “regard no one according to the flesh” (v. 16).
The person whose posts make your blood boil? Christ is able to make them new.
The neighbor who pushes every button? A potential citizen of the kingdom.
The politician you’ve reduced to a caricature? He is someone Jesus died to reconcile.
Ambassadors do not treat foreign citizens with contempt. Their posture must be relational, personal, and respectful—because they never know who might soon belong to their own Kingdom.
Reconciliation Requires Proximity
God makes His appeal through His people. Not through memes or keyboard warriors or AI slop. God makes His appeal through embodies presence. Not through a drive-by comment. Through embodied presence.
Reconciliation cannot be achieved through screens. It happens over dinners, conversations, forgiveness, patience, and love.
Ambassadors live in the land they are trying to reach.
Merchants of Outrage vs. Ambassadors of Peace
Make no mistake: we are in a state of war. Scripture consistently reminds us that the world is opposed to the Kingdom of God. But the Bible also teaches that unbelievers are not our enemy—they are captives of our enemy (2 Tim. 2:26). They are prisoners of war, not opponents to destroy.
So our posture as ministers of reconciliation isn’t combative or belligerent. It is winsome and winning. We don’t shout down the people we’re trying to rescue. We don’t treat the mission field like a battlefield. We come as ambassadors of peace, carrying the message of a King who loves His enemies and dies for His rebels.Here is the diagnostic question:
When people encounter you—online or offline—do they sense the tone of your King, or the tone of your timeline?
The world has enough merchants of outrage. It has enough tribal warriors. It has enough ambassadors of bitterness.
But God is sending emissaries of peace—men and women who smell like the kingdom they represent and sound like the King who sent them.
“Be Reconciled to God”
Paul ends not with a command to reconcile others but with a plea: “Be reconciled to God!” (v. 20)
Because only reconciled people become reconciling people.
When Christ’s peace has taken root in you, outrage loses its power.
When you know your citizenship is secure, you no longer fear the surrounding culture.
When you remember who you represent, you stop acting like the kingdom depends on your anger.
We are ambassadors.
We carry the King’s message.
And when we speak, He is making His appeal through us.
Related content
- Day 339: What We Gain, We Give (2 Corinthians 5:21, 8:9)
- Day 037: God’s Command and our Social Media Feeds (Exodus 22-24)
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