A Letter from Christ

Passage: 2 Corinthians 3:1-6

I devote some of my work time to an organization that supports and equips people in job transition. The job market being what it is, many have found that responding to public job ads is futile. There are too many applicants and it’s too difficult to distinguish yourself on paper from the rest of the crowd. The key to landing a job interview, if not a job, is networking. Getting someone with connections to give you a personal recommendation.

In one of his letters to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of the personal recommendation to describe his audience. Paul says, “You all are letters of recommendation.” What? Recommendations for whom, exactly?
For two parties, says Paul. Each of you – every member of the church – is a letter of recommendation for the church itself. And, by extension, every Christian is a letter of recommendation for Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Church.

We can’t get around this reality. If you are known to be a member of any church, or a believer in Jesus Christ, you’re responsible not only for your reputation, but the reputation of all Christians. In addition, and most importantly, you're responsible for the reputation of Christ himself. Each of us has to ask the question: What kind of recommendation am I giving? What am I communicating to the world on Christ’s behalf?
• When we highlight the sins of one group of people and ignore our own
• When we clamor for our rights as middle-class and affluent citizens while failing to advocate for the poor and marginalized in our world
• When we enjoy forms of entertainment that degrade the image of God in us and other people
• When we endorse “religious” politicians and pundits whose militant rhetoric engenders hate speech
• When we, in our everyday travels and activities, fail to treat those who serve us and those we meet with the respect we demand,

What are we communicating to the world on Christ’s behalf? What do people think Christ is saying to them through us?
I don’t presume to answer for you. But if you’re a follower of Jesus, ask yourself the question.