What would Jesus think or feel
Charles Shedd wrote In His Steps, which is where we find the phrase “What Would Jesus Do” or WWJD.
Did you have a bracelet or some other item to remind you to ask yourself What Would Jesus Do when you face various situations? Well, I didn’t buy into the craze simply because when you work with teenagers it is very apparent that behavior modification isn’t the goal, but instead heart and mind change that will result in a change of behavior. Last week we read…
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire (crave) the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”
I Peter 2:1-3
All these things start in the heart of a person and are expressed outwardly to others. Exercising towards godliness is “craving the pure milk of the Word” so it can change and transform the way we think, feel and then impact our actions.
“Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:25-32
Again we see the emphasis is on actions derived from a change of character. If the bracelets had read WWJTF (What Would Jesus Think or Feel) I might have considered one, but I would rather focus for those around me and myself to simply “Hide Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”
Pressing On,
Ron Tipton, Senior Pastor
