WWJD?

I am convinced that I have the most awesome little brother anyone could ever have. He's great, and more. Somehow he's gotten into wearing wrist-bands... these range from plain rubber bands (of different colors, of course), the ever-popular "LIVESTRONG" bracelet, and even a ONE CLEMSON/ R U ORANGE bracelet. This current fad reminded me of one that was incredibly popular when I was his age -- "WWJD?"

It was everywhere. Bracelets. Keychains. Bible covers. There's even a "WWJD?" bible, not to mention a handful of songs to go with it. Countless sermons and messages were preached on the topic; retreats and camps used it as their theme. It was literally everywhere, and it made us ask that question to ourselves. We wanted to be reminded of it constantly as to stay out of trouble and "do the right thing". WWJD? eventually grew to be a very profitable industry within itself.

Now that I look back, I begin to question this idea, though. "What would Jesus do?" Well, I know what he's done, sure. There's a book (actually a collection of many books) that tells us a lot about what Jesus did. That we know. But do we really know what Jesus would do if he were in our shoes today? Jesus' mother, his brothers, even the disciples couldn't predict what Jesus would do... they couldn't have answered this question. In fact, they often got in his way by trying to answer the question.

So if not WWJD, then what? Here's the bigger question -- how did Jesus know what to do? He studied the scriptures... to the extent he could recite them as to know clearly what to do. He prayed to God, his father, for guidance... taking a lot of time in the process. He allowed the spirit to lead him. I think, moreover, the real question is What Did Jesus Do?, and let that guide our decisions. Do we study scripture to know what God would have us do? Do we pray for guidance and to be led by the spirit?

Sometimes we won't be led to do the same things that "have always been done." Jesus says very clearly, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of tradition?" When we really ask, "What did Jesus do?" and follow what he did, we will be led in the most radical of ways... ways that we could never predict.

I don't think we'll ever know exactly what Jesus would do if he was in the world today -- we can guess, but somehow I think we'd come up short. What we do know is how he made his own decisions, and that is the example he laid down for us.

WDJD? Follow, study, and pray. I doubt I'll start a new trend by this, but I do think I'll find more answers. Maybe you will too.

Trying and stumbling to be more like Jesus,
chris

Matthew 15: 1-9