What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD)

Remember the 1990s when we all wore the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets? They were all the rage and it was unanimous with a ‘saved’ Christian.

Let me explain that a bit more…reflecting on my own life. I was saved when I was 16, just out of school and had started attending this fantastic church. I had started making ‘Christian’ friends and I could not have been happier. Enter these WWJD bracelets- every young person had one, or several to show that they were truly being led by God.

These bracelets were designed to lead young people to make the right decisions by simply looking at the bracelet. How does this work you ask? Let me illustrate- if my friend was to call me to a party that had alcohol, I would look at my bracelet and think ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ and tell my friend that I would not come along to a party because that’s not what Jesus would do.

As a young person, my life’s decisions were led by the bracelet. Fast forward several years and several life experiences and I hear Christians going around telling others whom they consider of a ‘lesser’ faith how to live their lives and how these non-Christians are not living their lives how Jesus would.

Christians who believe that they have been chosen by God have all too often gone around telling non-Christians that God hates the way they live and they’re not going to heaven- to the extent where they believe that non-Christians must live like those who have been saved.

Here’s a different perspective. Let’s look at What Jesus Would Actually Do.

Too often getting saved seems to give us airs and graces and we forget that we were saved by His grace- not by our actions. We end up being like the unmerciful servant in Mathew 18:21-35.

We’ve forgotten that our behaviour is not what Jesus would ever do. He has never once condemned anyone for their sin.

He never had any airs or graces about His status and never judged anyone for their sexual orientation or their lifestyle. He knew who He was and didn’t waver from it- but that didn’t mean He condemned anyone either…well, apart from the religious sorts.

He never actually mentioned anyone’s sin either- He just says “go, sin no more.” this tells me that God doesn’t have categories for sin. Sin is sin according to Him.

Unless we look at the Word in the true intent it was written, we are going to fail as Christians in our purpose. Any wonder why the world loathes Christians? We have fallen short of our purpose and failed miserably in our only job- to go be witnesses unto the ends of the earth. We have instead gone as judges- forgetting that it’s not our place to judge.

Who am I to judge anyone who is not living a lifestyle that doesn’t please me? I only have to take a page from the book of Jude. No one had more right to curse the devil than Michael the archangel, and yet, “But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Jude 1:9

How am I living in accordance to the Word if I don’t let it guide my every action?

Do we somehow think that we have actually led people to Christ or salvation when we tell people they are sinners because they identify as LGBTQ+ or drug addicts or prostitutes?

How did we give ourselves a title to judge because the Bible says that even Jesus didn’t judge. He came down to earth to display unconditional love and acceptance.

While He hung around with tax collectors and prostitutes, He never let go of His faith and through love He brought them to the knowledge of God- if you ask me- that’s what Jesus would do.

#LoveProclaimedIt