“If you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth.” 1 Peter 1:17 (GW)

This world isn’t your home. You’ve probably heard that idea before, but have you really thought about it? If you’re a follower of Jesus, your home is not on earth. Your homeland is in heaven, and your identity is rooted in eternity.

Most people will only be spending 70, 80, maybe 100 years here on earth—but you’ll be in eternity for the rest of time. While you’re on earth, you’re simply an ambassador on a short-term assignment. 

Think of political ambassadors. They live in a foreign country as a representative of their home country. But that foreign country isn’t their home. So they don’t settle in there. They live as temporary residents, focused on their mission.

The same is true for you. Here on earth, you’re living as an ambassador for Jesus. But you’re just passing through this world; you were made for eternity in heaven.

The Bible says it this way: “If you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth” (1 Peter 1:17 GW). Here, the Bible is basically saying, “Don’t get too comfortable living in this world. You’re just an ambassador here. Your role is to represent Jesus and to share the Good News with everyone around you.”

In Philippians 3, the Bible compares unbelievers to believers: “They think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives” (Philippians 3:19-20 NLT).  

It’s easy to get caught up in the here and now—to work to accumulate wealth or power or prestige. But Jesus’ followers should have a different priority, an eternal priority.

That priority is to tell unbelievers the Good News about Jesus.

Second Corinthians 5:20 says it clearly: “So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is as if God is calling to you through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God” (NCV).

God has left you here on earth to be his ambassador. Go tell someone else about him today!