So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

–Parallel verses:
Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I think of a caterpillar and the life it has on the ground. It interacts with other insects, animals and plants. It grows and develops. But it moves at a pretty slow pace. Its experiences in life are limited to a small area on the ground. Fast forward to the cocoon-phase. The caterpillar is in the process of becoming a butterfly, but this phase is more restrictive and less enjoyable than the caterpillar state. It has to work hard to built the cocoon, live in cramped quarters, and undergo the changing of its body. Life is difficult in the cocoon! Then one day, out comes a butterfly. This butterfly is beautiful and full of life. It is transformed into a new body; and with this new body — it has a virtually new life! It can see all over the place and hear new sounds. It is no longer limited by the ground-level experiences. And it can travel quickly.

This is similar to the transformation that takes place in our lives when we choose to follow God with our whole hearts. Our hearts and minds are transformed into a new life. It is like we now see more of the life around us. Like the caterpillar, this life was always there, but we couldn’t see it. Our spiritual eyes were glazed over. So how do we gain this new life? By being reconciled to Christ. And what are we called to do with our new, incredible life and spiritual relationship with God? Reconcile others to him, as well. We are his ambassadors to a world with glazed over eyes, who cannot see the hand of the God who lives and moves right around them. Our mission is to point out God’s work and his truth and call on them to follow Jesus.

And we see the benefits of this new life here clearly:
1) We become righteous like God, 2) we understand what our purpose is in life: to be one with God and love others through his power and in his ways, and 3) we understand God’s will for us each day. It becomes clearer and clearer the closer we get in relationship to him.

Lord, thank you that I get to be your Reconciliation Ambassador today. I claim it and commit to it! Open my eyes to see your hand at work in my life and the lives of those around me. I am willing, use me however you choose to.