We’ve all heard the expression “He has some big shoes to fill.” Most of the time, this is necessary when a person fulfilling a certain responsibility leaves or is no longer able to stand in that role. I think of when Steve Jobs passed away, and Apple was determining their new CEO. Those were some big shoes to fill. I think of when someone like a Tom Brady or Bret Favre retires after a decade with a team, and a new quarterback comes in to with great expectations for their franchise. I think of siblings or grandparents who must fill the role as parent for whatever reason. I think of a pastor who is called to step in after the senior pastor steps down, goes to heaven, or can no longer preach. These are all big shoes to fill.
Many of us have been put in a position where we have felt the need to put the shoes on—sometimes by default; Sometimes by necessity, sometimes hesitantly, sometimes it’s because someone comes to us and asks us to fill those shoes. In our passage below, we see that we have some pretty big shoes to fill. And the role has been given to us by God the Father Himself, to put on the shoes that Jesus Christ wore as His ministry. Notice the Scripture below:
2 Corinthians 5:19-20 To wit, that God… hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Jesus Christ’s role, purpose, and ministry was “the ministry of reconciliation” (or living to see sinners reconciled to God through salvation). But Jesus is gone. He’s in heaven. And someone needs to fill those shoes here on earth. In the passage above, we see very clearly that God has commissioned us to fill those shoes! We see that it’s been committed to us. We see that we are ambassadors and we see that we are to stand “in Christ’s stead” (some pretty big shoes!), seeking to see sinners reconciled to Christ.
The challenge is simple: let’s put on the shoes that God has asked us to put on. Let’s continue Christ’s ministry of seeking sinners who need to be reconciled to God. Let’s be ambassadors (a great honor) for the King, bringing His message to a world that desperately needs it. To whom can we speak in Christ’s stead today?
