Perhaps you remember, or have heard of the “WWJD” movement that became popular back in the 1990s. You would find people wearing a wristband with those four letters on it, signifying the question, “What Would Jesus Do?” It caused many to carefully consider what they did as Christians.
A follow-up to the movement was called “FROG”, or “Fully Rely Upon God.” Jesus, our example, relied fully upon God, but not in a passive way, as some might be tempted to understand it. Jesus was very intentional about knowing and following the will of His Father, trusting Him as He moved forward in God’s plan.
Did you know that the origin of the “WWJD” phrase was a novel written in 1897 by Charles M. Sheldon, titled In His Steps? Incidentally, a mistake in the copyright allowed several publishing companies to offer the book very cheaply, and it became one of the top 50 best-selling novels ever.
As the story goes, a minister was challenged by a homeless man to seriously consider the imitation of Christ by those who claimed to be Christians. Convicted, and somewhat embarrassed by the directness of the man’s question, that minister ends up challenging his congregation to go beyond the status quo of Christianity to say, “I want volunteers from the First Church who will pledge themselves earnestly and honestly for an entire year not to do anything without first asking the question ‘What would Jesus do?’” In the process, he then finds himself way outside his own comfort zone.
The novel goes on to describe the challenges the characters faced by honestly asking themselves that question. A newspaper editor decides not to sensationalize brutality and corruption, and only focus on things that were uplifting. An attractive young woman with a beautiful singing voice declines a lucrative offer with the opera, choosing instead to sing at the tent meetings in the tenement district. A railroad superintendent, a college president, a rich merchant, a young surgeon, a novel writer, and an heiress all make sacrifices for the sake of integrity. They’re all challenged in some way to reach out to the suffering, sin-sick, and needy around them.
What would Jesus do? Suppose every person who calls themselves a Christian pledged to ask this question in every aspect of their life and then acted upon their conclusions?
But, you say, there is a wide margin for interpretation in this. “Jesus was a nice guy” some may say, “so I’ll be nice, too; and that should fulfill my obligation.” Some will consider the matter no further than that. Who decides, and how?
Is there any way we can determine what Jesus actually would do if He were in our place? Or do we continue to make our decisions based on our own impressions and opinions? How do we decide what it is that Jesus would do?
Certainly we should consult Him concerning the big decisions, but as we meditate daily on Jesus’ life, it should filter into all of the decisions we make on a daily basis.
Think about a challenge you are facing now. What is at the root of your conflict? See if you can find a correlation between it and something Jesus faced. Study His response to each challenge. How did He make His decisions? What motivated His choices? Search for the principle behind Jesus’ actions and study how it can be applied to your situation.
Let’s consider a practical application of this. Suppose right now I am a nervous wreck. Why do I feel this way? Isn’t it because fear has taken hold? I study the life of Jesus and I see nothing but calm determination as He went about His mission. Am I afraid of failure? Jesus was not. He knew His purpose, He understood the plan, He trusted and moved forward without haste or delay. May God grant that I can see things in the same light.
What would Jesus do? I’m fairly certain He would concentrate on relieving the physical, mental, and spiritual suffering of those around Him. He would point them to the path of salvation, and He would live in complete harmony with the principles found in God’s Word.
Consider taking the challenge and study out for yourself: What would Jesus really do?
WWJD?
