Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCLXXXVI

It was all the rage just a few years ago. A big fashion item. It started out as a simple bracelet, but it soon spread to almost every imaginable item where people thought they might could make a buck. I feel quite certain that the person who came up with the original idea did it with the best of intentions, and if these products made some people stop and think, then the idea achieved its purpose. This innovator, the one from whom this idea originated, came up with a simple four word phrase, which was then reduce to four initials, but most everyone knew what they meant: WWJD...."What Would Jesus Do?" It turned out to be a fad, and like all fads, it was here one day and gone the next. But I also have to wonder if the message behind it may have also been just a fad, and just like those bracelets, it's now yesterday's news.

Is it possible to bring something like that back? I don't necessarily mean that I'd like to see all the WWJD accessories come back in style, but what if we could bring that phrase back and let it become a part of our lifestyle? If we could get everybody on the bandwagon to just ask that question before every major decision, our crime problem would disappear. Family problems would go away, everyone would love each other again, and all of us would start getting along with each other much better. Yes I know that the idea that we could get every person to start asking themselves that question is just a dream, but what if just you and I would get back on that program....what kind of difference could we make? Because, you see, I have to admit that I don't always stop and consider what Jesus would do if He were in my situation, and I'm pretty sure that you don't either.

And yes, I know that we could take it too far. What color car would Jesus buy? Would He prefer carrots or broccoli? What time would He have his breakfast in the mornings? Those are non issues, but there are some other questions that could alter how we live our lives. What about "Is this a movie He would watch?", or "Would He say what I'm tempted to say right now?" What would He think about the way I treat my spouse? How would He react when the cashier accidentally gave Him too much change? Does He think I'm too selfish? I could go on and on, but the truth of the matter is, when we stop to ask ourselves those questions, in most circumstances we really already know what the answer would be. Maybe that's why we've quit asking.

I would like to think that in most circumstances, the choices I make would line up with His. And maybe if I compare myself with the majority of the general population, I'm really doing pretty good. But that leads me to ask this question: "Does God grade on a curve?" I don't think He does. When He looks at how I'm doing, the actions of other people never even become a part of the equation. And who do I think I am if I feel that I can approve of something of which He would disapprove? Do I think I can overrule His decisions? I don't have that kind of authority! Nor does anyone else.

Preston