WWJD? A clever acronym for the question “What would Jesus do?” that suggests that we might possess some insight as to what Jesus would do in a particular circumstance. In asking the question, it allows us to exercise the presumption of settling our posteriors into Christ’s judgment seat and pontificating. The question “What would Jesus do?” cannot be answered. Instead, we answer the question with what we would do if we were Jesus. Spoiler alert – If we were Jesus there would be no salvation, no atoning sacrifice, no hope. I’m grateful that I’m not Jesus, and doubly so that you’re not.
A better question to ask ourselves when facing quandaries in our lives is to ask “What did Jesus do?” – WDJD. Should someone inquire about your views on abortion, homosexuality, premarital sex, adultery, or the panoply of ways in which we stumble, we would do well to remember what Jesus did. Jesus loved. He loved sinners – indeed He found a closer connection to them than He did to those who judged themselves righteous. Why? Because flawed though they were, they saw within themselves the hunger that only He could satisfy. The Pharisees asked his disciples why Jesus dined with publicans and sinners1, the obvious answer was that the sinners welcomed Him in.
What would you imagine dining with Jesus would be like? Do you think He spent the meal lecturing them about how sinful they were? Does the Holy Spirit do that to you? Jesus described the Holy Ghost as the “Comforter” – not the Convicter or the Condemner2. I suspect that Jesus was very much a comforter in his meals with sinners. He shared freely of Himself, taught, and encouraged. Do we do the same with those that we encounter? Is our church welcoming? If our churches are to be hospitals for sinners, what is our emergency room like? Modern hospitals are models of cleanliness and order, but the emergency room is where you find those who are often bloodied and battered in desperate need of care. My last visit, predicated by a fall from a ladder, was typical. They quickly assessed the extent of my needs and treated me accordingly. They did not admonish me for my clumsiness or carelessness, they did not tell me I was deserving of my sad circumstance, they didn’t seek a pledge from me to stay off ladders, and they did not judge me. Instead, they cared for me and, had it been necessary, they would have made a place for me in one of their clean and orderly rooms.
Now, think of the emergency room that is your church. Is it welcoming to those who have been bloodied and battered by life? Is it a safe and welcoming place where someone can learn and heal and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus? A wise, old pastor once told me that the hardest thing he encountered in pastoring a church was to keep the old goats from killing the young lambs. One of the primary failings of the Pharisees was that they loved the law more than the Law Giver. They judged themselves righteous while condemning others. I’ve done this, too. I’ve met people whose lifestyles were outside biblical teaching and I did not share the gospel with them. In not doing so, I was in fact condemning them. They did not need me to lecture them, but simply to love them and share Jesus’ love even as it had been shared with me. Love them. Bring them home. Let the Holy Ghost work on their hearts and lead them to truth and salvation. Be a source of comfort and guidance, but only so far as they seek it from you. Don’t worry about what Jesus would do, but simply do what Jesus did.
1 Mark 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
2 John 14: 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
In a dry and thirsty land 