I remember like it was yesterday—I was headed out to youth group service on a Wednesday night, my brightly colored bracelet sporting the chunky letters WWJD secured on my wrist. I was the epitome of a Christian teen in the late 1990’s.
What Would Jesus Do?
You remember too—the bracelets, the swag, the T-shirts, the gear. It was more than a wardrobe choice, though, it was a nationwide movement. Youth pastors eagerly joined in, walking their youth groups through the message obvious on everyone’s clothing. “Don’t just wear it, live it!”
As a trend, the WWJD fad is officially old news, but as a principle and theme, the message lingers in the hearts of believers. When we’re angry, when we’re sad, when we’re tempted, its beneficial as Christians to ask ourselves “What would Jesus do?” We might not wear the bracelet on our wrist anymore, but overall, we can avoid a lot of heartache, sin, and drama by stopping occasionally to consider this important question.
What would Jesus do?
And why should we care today?
Trying to Walk the Walk
The apostle Paul talked about the importance of imitating Christ in 1 Corinthians.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1 ESV)
We know as Christians we won’t get this right all the time. (Neither did Paul!) But our daily lives should include the growing sanctification of our becoming more and more Christlike. We’re not meant to stay on “spiritual milk,” but to advance to “spiritual meat” as we mature (Hebrews 5). This is part of our journey as believers.
That’s the why of it—but what about the what? What do we do when the answer to WWJD isn’t obvious? What do we do when we don’t know what Jesus would do?
The world is certainly loud right now with a lot of assumptions of what Christ would do if He were physically living in America today. You don’t have to look far to hear someone shouting that Jesus would have “voted this way” or “supported this group.” But loudly proclaiming something doesn’t make it true.
So how do we figure it out for ourselves?
Here are 5 things to do when you aren’t sure what Jesus would do.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Khosrork
1. Go to the Word.
Our first instincts, when trying to figure something out as a Christian should be to go to the Word of God. The Bible has more detailed answers than we might initially think.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)
The Bible is the living Word—and it promises that it never returns void. Something you’ve read a dozen times can take fresh meaning and application by the power of the Holy Spirit. So don’t give up—keep combing through Scripture to find your answer! Read, read, read.
2. Look at God’s overall character throughout the Bible.
God gifted us His Word so that we could know Him. While some answers might not be incredibly obvious to our exact situations, we can easily get a sense of God’s overall character and heart by reading the Scriptures. We know from His Word that God doesn’t change, so who He is today is the same as who He was when both the Old and New Testaments were written.
“For I the Lord do not change…” (Malachi 3:6b ESV)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV)
We can apply the Lord’s heart and character traits to our every situation, even when it doesn’t seem immediately obvious what Jesus would do. Remember at the base of it all—God is love. (1 John 4:16). God is also just (Job 34:12). God is long-suffering (Numbers 14:18). These are only a few of God’s many wonderful attributes that we can study and apply to our lives.
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3. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes, when we’re struggling to know what to do, we skip over the obvious—to simply pray and ask. We get so tied up in going to other people that we often forget or don’t make effort to stop and pray first.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 ESV)
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7 ESV)
The very role of the Holy Spirit is not only to seal our salvation, but to direct, guide, and lead us. Jesus said in John 16 that it was better for Him to ascend so the Holy Spirit might come. The Holy Spirit teaches us and brings to our mind scriptures and other godly principles for living. Trust the voice of the Holy Spirit in your heart when you pray, and then act accordingly.
4. Talk to a trusted pastor, friend, or mentor.
While we should certainly make it a habit to pray and seek the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit first, there’s nothing wrong with checking in with a godly brother or sister as well. In fact, it’s a biblical thing to do.
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17 ESV)
Some specific situations just aren’t directly addressed in the Bible. And while we can always rely on the overall theme of the Word and the steadiness of God’s unchanging character to determine our steps, there’s much wisdom to be found in going to a godly brother or sister in Christ for advice. Don’t be afraid you’re going to bother them or look foolish—after all, one day you’ll probably be there for them in the same way.
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5. Rest in Grace.
As Christians, we know our salvation is not works-based. Yet there’s still this deeply embedded, natural urge in all of us to strive toward works and perfectionism. The good news is, we’re not perfect—and that’s on purpose! We’re not going to always get it right. Even if we go to the Word, examine God’s character, pray, and seek godly counsel, we still can make mistakes because…insert drum roll…we’re human. Praise God there is grace for these situations!
The Lord knows we’re not always going to get everything right this side of heaven. What starts as godly motivation or intent can often transition into pride or sin in the blink of an eye. That’s because while we’re fully justified as Christians, we’re not yet fully sanctified. That is an ongoing process that won’t end until the Lord returns, or until we pass from this earth to Heaven.
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him…” (Psalm 103:8-11 ESV)
Rest in grace and be careful not to fall into a spirit of condemnation.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1 ESV)
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Originally published Friday, 06 August 2021.
