“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” – Luke 10:16
We are messengers. King Jesus has appointed each of His followers to be messengers. That means, we have a simple task – to deliver the good news of His life, death, and resurrection, calling people to repent of their sins and submit to Him in faith. Not everyone will appreciate or accept that message, but that’s OK. When we live and act as messengers, we can rest in the assurance that rejecting the message isn’t so much about rejecting us as messengers but rejecting the King Who sent the message.
However, we must make sure that we are faithful messengers. That means we must know what the message is and how to accurately present it. We must actually deliver the message. It also means that we must make sure that we aren’t interfering with or distracting from the message. We must make sure that our actions don’t distract or undermine the message. We can’t make the message about us and we must make sure that our character and conduct are consistent with the message. If our words or actions repel people so they won’t even listen to the message, we’ve failed as messengers. If our politics or posts keep people from hearing the message, we’ve failed as messengers. If our sin, hypocrisy, or unpleasant personality keep people from hearing the message, we’ve failed as messengers.
Take time to reflect on your lifestyle, activities, attitudes, and words – in person and online, in public and in private. Are you an effective messenger or is there something you need to stop, start, or change in order for the message to be heard? Whatever you need to do to become a more effective messenger for Jesus, do it! #FollowJesus