Imagine you had a very rich uncle who left you his big mansion in his will. You receive the keys to this mansion, and they’re really old keys that open even older doors with countless mysteries and treasures behind them. You finally get to find out what is inside, and who knows what fun and exciting adventures await you? This mansion is yours, and you have a right to use these keys to access this mansion.
II Corinthians 5:18:
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
We do have the right to utilize keys—to access our ministry of reconciliation; and we can be excited to see what God has in store for us. With these keys and the right to use them, who knows what fun and exciting adventures await us as we operate our ministry of reconciliation!
Our first key to operating our ministry of reconciliation is to lift our eyes and see others’ lives. When I was in an international country that was known for its underground transportation, I was warned about what it was like to ride a train there. I was told that no one looks at each other or makes eye contact. I thought this was the silliest thing because I wanted to look at everyone and everything. I was in a new country! As I lifted my eyes to see others around me, I had great open doors to speak to people. Later, I had the same thing happen when I rode on public transportation in my home country.
In this day and age, it’s possible to get so absorbed in our own lives and in our smartphones that we become oblivious to all of the life around us. If Jesus Christ hadn’t been lifting his eyes to see others, he could have missed Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus had climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus come his way.
Luke 19:5:
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
Jesus Christ could have missed a wonderful man whose heart was to know God and to know Jesus Christ. Watch and observe people around you, and a door to speak may swing open. Try giving someone a big genuine smile, ask someone a question, or give a specific compliment. These can be the first steps to starting a wonderful conversation.
The next key we will consider is to open our mouth and let the Word out! When I was in high school, all I wanted was to be like everyone else; and do you know what everyone else wasn’t doing? Speaking the Word. What I hadn’t realized yet is that as born-again believers, we are not of this world. And once I recognized my spiritual standing with God, being like everyone else simply didn’t matter anymore.
I Thessalonians 2:4:
But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
When I understood that I have been entrusted with the gospel, which is not a light matter, I shook off the cares of the world, opened my mouth, and let the Word out. There are as many different ways to speak the Word as there are people in the world, and we each have a story to tell about God and His Word in our lives. One simple way we get really good at finding that fitly spoken Word for each situation is to speak! The more we speak the Word, the easier it becomes. Once you get used to speaking the Word and seeing all the benefits in your life and in the lives of others, you won’t want to stop. We each have a unique place in the Body of Christ, and there are people out there that only you can reach.
When we lead others to Jesus Christ, we are fulfilling God’s will, for there is no other name under heaven whereby one may be saved but Jesus Christ. Right NOW we are fully equipped and authorized to successfully fulfill this assignment. Having received the keys and the right to use them, who knows what fun and exciting adventures await us as we operate our ministry of reconciliation! As sons and daughters of God with a mission, we lift our eyes and see others’ lives and we open our mouth and let the Word out.