Quick Take – I have often wondered how desperate someone would have to be to beg.  I have seen people in our cities who are on the street corners begging for money and I wonder what brought them to this point.  Sure, some of them are out for an easy dollar, but others are truly destitute and have no other way to provide for themselves.  I ponder what their story is and how they got to this place in their life where all their pride was stripped away and they had to accept the humility to beg.  Something in their life was so traumatic that they had to approach others.  I wonder what it would take for us to humble ourselves and share Christ with others.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.   2 Cor. 5:20 (NASB)

And Remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – We are a proud and arrogant people.  Most of us have no idea what it means to hunger so badly that we would beg.  We have no concept of what it is to sleep on the streets or be at the constant mercy of others.  We have never been desperate enough to be overtaken by humility.  We speak of humbling ourselves and we try, but we have no idea.
     I wonder, also, what it would be like to be so desperate for people to hear the Gospel that we would beg them as the Apostle Paul is doing in this verse.  He was desperate for people to know the reconciliation which comes through the blood of Christ.  This once proud, arrogant, and educated man is reduced to begging for Jesus Christ.
     Paul is not begging for money as many ministries do today, he is begging for people to know the Gospel.  His hunger is so great that he will do anything for people to come to a saving knowledge of Christ.  He is devoid of pride when it comes to witnessing the truth.  He is destitute for comfort as long as there are people who are perishing for all of eternity.  His need to see people saved is greater than any pride or self respect.
     Today, we do not hunger like this for people to come to know Christ.  While the lost are in an absolute spiritual poverty, Paul took their plight of destitution so that they might know the riches of God’s grace.  We are so comfortable in our spiritual state that we feel no desperation for the lost.  We feel no compassion for them and walk by them every day with our head held high.
     For many, our place of work does not allow us the opportunity to share Christ.  But the least we can do is feel their spiritual starvation to the point that we humble ourselves in prayer for them.  Every free moment we have we should be making a desperate plea to the Living God for their salvation.  If we cannot beg others to be reconciled, we can beg our God to reach out to them some other way that they might be saved.
     What a revival would take place if all Christian leaders began to be closet beggars for the salvation of others.  While the world sees us in our suits and business attire, our God sees us in total starvation for the salvation of the lost.  Are you that desperate for the salvation of those around you?  Will you do some begging today on your break or your lunch hour?  Are you desperate for people to come to Christ?  Humble yourself and beg for their reconciliation.
     Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!