WWJD
Remember when everyone was wearing these initials W.W.J.D. on jewelry and asking the question, ‘What Would Jesus Do’? Of course before long it became a cliche and like all fads, faded away. But if we as Christians are called to live our lives in a way that honors God, we must ask ourselves the same question, ‘What would Jesus do? How would He respond to today?’
Our society is currently fraught with fear, anger, uncertainty, despair, and violence. We see it all around us whether we’re locked in quarantine or going about our daily lives in as normal a way as possible.
Fear is evident in almost all social interactions. It’s placed a divide between us that is greater than the density of the mask we wear and wider than the 6 feet of safe distancing required. Anger and violence are on display like never before. We see it in the worded missiles thrown at one another over social media, hear it in the news reports, and experience it in our streets. New uncertainties rear their ugly heads every day through virus reports and in the differing opinions of the health experts. Sometimes it’s all too much. Our senses are overloaded.
BUT we are the LIGHT. We have the HOPE within us, the ANSWER to all of life’s problems. So what are we doing with the hope within? Are we shining our light or have we allowed fear to dim the brightness within us? Are we sharing our hope or have we given in to the despair around us? Are we pointing to the Solution to all of life’s problems (Jesus) or are we giving more precedence to the issues instead of the solution?
These are questions that I have been asking myself, my friends, and my family. In prayer and in my quiet time I find myself asking this of God: How would you respond to life as we know it in 2020? How do you want me to respond to the issues at hand, to the hurting around me? What is your will for me in this?
When I asked that last question of God, it brought to my mind the words of Jesus in John 6:38 (NIV), “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent Me”. Jesus always put God’s will first. He lived out the mission God gave Him. So, what would Jesus do right now?
He would live just like He lived over 2000 years ago. Jesus would live to glorify the name of God. He would live his life with one goal in mind, to do the will of the Father, to bring glory to His name.
So what is the will of God for us who are in Christ Jesus? I Thessalonians 5:15-18 answers this question. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (NLT)
Did you catch that? No matter what is going on in our lives or how we are being treated, we are to respond in love. We are to choose joy, to keep a life line open to our creator through prayer. We’re to be thankful in everything, the good and the bad. We can’t do this alone. We can’t complete this mission without the life changing power of the Holy Spirit at work in us. Ephesians 4:21-24 tells us that since we have learned the truth that comes from Jesus, we should THROW off our old sinful nature and our former way of life, strip it off. It then advises that we let the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes and it admonishes us to PUT on, like a garment, our new nature.
If we are to walk through the rest of this year, may it be in the footsteps of Jesus who lived His life in total surrender to the will of God. Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.” John 4:34-35 (NLT) What field is God asking you to harvest? What sacrifice is He asking you to make so that His will may done? Are you ready? W.W.J.D?
