Recently I have enjoyed meeting several Syrian refugee families. Their lives have been disrupted through war and chaos in their homeland, and they have lived in refugee camps for several years. They appreciative Canada's offer of a new home, help in getting established, and still face tremendous hurdles. Most speak little English; credentials and/or work experience are not recognized; getting a driver's licence is not easy; family members have been left behind; and adjusting to Canadian culture will take time. Living as a foreigner is difficult even when surrounded by friendly faces.
Early Christians were very aware of their status as aliens or foreigners. Peter addresses God's chosen, "strangers in the world." First century Christians were counter-cultural. They didn't fit into the Jewish or the gentile world. They would not participate in temple ceremonies worshiping Caesar or pagan gods or join the wild drunken parties of their day.
Not much has changed. In every culture Christians find they can affirm some values but must reject others. Their calling is to follow Jesus Christ who is both Love and Light (completely holy). The apostle Paul calls us ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador lives in a foreign country but represents his homeland. While living abroad, he may adopt the customs of his host country as long as they do not conflict with his country's values. We are citizens of heaven. Our primary allegiance is to Christ. Ambassadors seek to live as agents of peace, but can speak stern warnings when conflict arises, or accost a protester as Kevin Vickers did last week.
Christians are still called to be ambassadors today. Paul Williams of Regent College suggests four essentials for effective ambassadors.
First we need an embassy, a place of support. The church is to be a community - rather than an institution - that gives Christ's followers direction and provides nurture and support.
Second, we must know our mission to share the good news of Christ's salvation and forgiveness and be agents of healing and reconciliation in a broken world - restoring justice, caring for the poor and homeless, bringing recovery to the addicted and support to the refugee.
Third, we must learn the language of our culture. I struggle to make myself understood to my Syrian friends even with the help of Google translate. Too often Christians rely on religious clichs to communicate spiritual truths. We must work hard to communicate in language our culture can understand.
Finally, we must do the work of diplomacy, not just talk about it. The Jewish exiles in Babylon were told to settle down, but also to "seek the peace and prosperity of the city" where they had been taken. We are to help people to find peace with God, reconciliation with one another and harmony with our environment. We must bring integrity to business, harmony in the workplace, courtesy in the grocery store, practical help to the needy and homeless and welcome new arrivals.
Friendship with new residents has made me appreciate my role as an ambassador.
