Today has already been full, Father, but a lot of things have been accomplished. May our time be fruitful and may casting my bread upon the waters be greatly multiplied! Amen.
Romans 8:5-6 (<<click here to read the passage)
I’m sure at this point in our lives most of us have heard the phrase, “What would Jesus do?” or at least its acronym – W.W.J.D.? You may have even owned a t-shirt or a bracelet with those words on them. The concept is assuredly sound, but it has been repeated and commercialized to the point where it no longer produces any authentic responses to it, or at least very few.
About 30 years ago Janie Tinklenberg, a youth group leader at Calvary Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan, began a grassroots movement to help the teenagers in her group remember the phrase; it spread worldwide among Christian youth, who wore bracelets bearing the initials WWJD.
She had good intentions for sure! But do you realize that “What would Jesus do?” didn’t start with her?
Reading through my Life Application Study Bible notes on these verses brought to mind a book I read several years ago, entitled In His Steps written by Charles Monroe Sheldon way back in 1896.
That was Tinklenberg’s inspiration. It was impactful for me, as well. (If would be worth the effort to read it yourself!)
A general storyline is that a local Midwest minister while preparing his Sunday message, is interrupted by a homeless man seeking assistance. The minister is busy, so he quickly brushes the gentleman off – thinking nothing of it.
The next Sunday, the gentleman appears in the church after the Sunday sermon. Walking up to the front of the sanctuary, he frankly confronts the congregation. There was no animosity on his part but he clearly lays things out for the comfortable congregants. He speaks of their apathetic lack of compassion for the jobless like him in their community. When he’s done, he collapses, and dies a few days later.
His passing greatly impacts the minister who then challenges his congregation, before any action they take, to ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” Many, who witnessed the events of the previous Sunday, take his challenge to heart and the story goes on to share the many hard decisions made by them and how their actions impacted themselves and so many others.
Paul’s writings to the church in Rome extend a challenge to its recipients, ourselves included.

For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose]. Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever]… AMP

So many times, we set our minds on the flesh – it’s the natural thing to do. But…as followers of Christ, we are called to live according to the Spirit. So what will it be – a pursuit of death – for that is the end result of sin – or a quest of life and peace – in giving ourselves over to Christ? We are called to do – to live, as Jesus did. Amen.

Feb 1st, 2023, Wed, 12:26 pm