What would Jesus do?
I love to ponder that question when faced with a difficult or challenging decision. Like many of you, I had one of the WWJD wristbands and it worked as a great visual, moral compass. In situations like:
"Should I start swearing at the driver of the car going 55 in the left lane of an interstate with a posted speed limit of 70 with the three little Piggins in the back seats of my mini-van?"
First, even though Jesus never had a mini-van or children for that matter (unless you read or watched 'The Da Vinci Code' and follow the story line of Mary Magdalene being the wife of Jesus ... boy did I digress!), I'm pretty sure in this case, Jesus would not have sworn and certainly not thought awful thoughts about some idiot that didn't know that the left lane was for passing ...
or how about a situation like this:
You're in the express check out lane at the grocery story with the granola bars you promised to bring to your son and his team after soccer practice. You're supposed to be there in 15 minutes, so you're in a hurry. (You could have planned ahead and bought them when you did your regular grocery shopping but you forgot the list and the bars so here you are!) There is an older woman with clearly more than the 10 items maximum (as so clearly displayed on the sign!) and she's got a coupon wallet and is riffling through her wallet looking for more money because she's apparently short! Inside you're fuming, and are thinking some pretty unkind thoughts as the cashier begins removing items to lower the total.
This is a clearer case of knowing what Jesus would do - He would have helped the woman pay for her groceries and probably helped her out to her car. Not to mention, He wouldn't have forgotten the granola bars in the first place. His wife Mary Magdalene would have gotten them ... oops! I'm off track.
Okay - how about a clearer case of knowing what Jesus would do:
A man is standing on the side of the road with a sign that reads, "Homeless. Looking for work." He also has a can that people are putting money into. Easy peasy, Jesus would also put money in the can and bless and pray with the man. So that's what you do ... but wait didn't a Christian organization you support say instead of giving the homeless money you should give them one of their cards that direct the homeless to their shelter for support?
Boy, I'm clearly struggling. It would be so seemingly easy to know what Jesus would do but doing it isn't always easy. It's not in our human nature to easily be like Jesus. He is perfect after all and we're just works in progress. Or, in the last case, being told that doing what you think Jesus would do isn't 'right' or 'best' according to good Christian people.
Like many of you, I struggle. I want to do what Jesus would do - I want to be His witness and when others look at me to see His light shining in me. I'm a work in progress and some days are better than others.
But I know when it's not right or when it's not something that Jesus would do or say. And that's when a mighty fury is ignited in me - especially when someone writes or says that they believe Jesus would vote for a particular candidate or support a particular party or issue. It's not new, it's been going on for as long as I can remember. But it has really been rampant in recent weeks as Christian organizations or writers in Christian publications have had to really stretch Truth and bend logic to support Trump. A man, when asked if he considered himself a Christian answered to the effect of 'well, the Evangelicals are supporting me, their support of me is huge, so I must be.' WHAT????
I'm not writing this to say that Jesus would vote for Hillary either. I'm writing this to say - in the case of an election for the President of the United States of America, Jesus isn't voting. We are - we imperfect human beings, we imperfect works in progress. I've read stories circulating that Pope Francis endorses Trump (false according to Snopes.com) and opinions from evangelicals striking a tone of fear about abortions increasing or guns being taken away if Hillary is elected. Don't try to bring Jesus into our dirty politics and our mudslinging .Just like I had to stretch all logic and theology to determine what Jesus would do on the interstate or grocery store, I see these pundits doing the same. Don't try to use Christianity to justify your unjustifiable, lacking-any-humility, bigot, money changer, adulterer. Keep His holy name out of our unholy politics. It's not right. Vote the way you want to vote - it's your right and I think obligation. Just don't besmirch our Heavenly Father by citing his endorsement or support or your choice. It's your choice - and only yours.
Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" Mt. 22:17. Our vote is our earthly obligation - our messy politics are too imperfect to anything but human.
Can I get an Amen?!
I love to ponder that question when faced with a difficult or challenging decision. Like many of you, I had one of the WWJD wristbands and it worked as a great visual, moral compass. In situations like:
"Should I start swearing at the driver of the car going 55 in the left lane of an interstate with a posted speed limit of 70 with the three little Piggins in the back seats of my mini-van?"
First, even though Jesus never had a mini-van or children for that matter (unless you read or watched 'The Da Vinci Code' and follow the story line of Mary Magdalene being the wife of Jesus ... boy did I digress!), I'm pretty sure in this case, Jesus would not have sworn and certainly not thought awful thoughts about some idiot that didn't know that the left lane was for passing ...
or how about a situation like this:
You're in the express check out lane at the grocery story with the granola bars you promised to bring to your son and his team after soccer practice. You're supposed to be there in 15 minutes, so you're in a hurry. (You could have planned ahead and bought them when you did your regular grocery shopping but you forgot the list and the bars so here you are!) There is an older woman with clearly more than the 10 items maximum (as so clearly displayed on the sign!) and she's got a coupon wallet and is riffling through her wallet looking for more money because she's apparently short! Inside you're fuming, and are thinking some pretty unkind thoughts as the cashier begins removing items to lower the total.
This is a clearer case of knowing what Jesus would do - He would have helped the woman pay for her groceries and probably helped her out to her car. Not to mention, He wouldn't have forgotten the granola bars in the first place. His wife Mary Magdalene would have gotten them ... oops! I'm off track.
Okay - how about a clearer case of knowing what Jesus would do:
A man is standing on the side of the road with a sign that reads, "Homeless. Looking for work." He also has a can that people are putting money into. Easy peasy, Jesus would also put money in the can and bless and pray with the man. So that's what you do ... but wait didn't a Christian organization you support say instead of giving the homeless money you should give them one of their cards that direct the homeless to their shelter for support?
Boy, I'm clearly struggling. It would be so seemingly easy to know what Jesus would do but doing it isn't always easy. It's not in our human nature to easily be like Jesus. He is perfect after all and we're just works in progress. Or, in the last case, being told that doing what you think Jesus would do isn't 'right' or 'best' according to good Christian people.
Like many of you, I struggle. I want to do what Jesus would do - I want to be His witness and when others look at me to see His light shining in me. I'm a work in progress and some days are better than others.
But I know when it's not right or when it's not something that Jesus would do or say. And that's when a mighty fury is ignited in me - especially when someone writes or says that they believe Jesus would vote for a particular candidate or support a particular party or issue. It's not new, it's been going on for as long as I can remember. But it has really been rampant in recent weeks as Christian organizations or writers in Christian publications have had to really stretch Truth and bend logic to support Trump. A man, when asked if he considered himself a Christian answered to the effect of 'well, the Evangelicals are supporting me, their support of me is huge, so I must be.' WHAT????
I'm not writing this to say that Jesus would vote for Hillary either. I'm writing this to say - in the case of an election for the President of the United States of America, Jesus isn't voting. We are - we imperfect human beings, we imperfect works in progress. I've read stories circulating that Pope Francis endorses Trump (false according to Snopes.com) and opinions from evangelicals striking a tone of fear about abortions increasing or guns being taken away if Hillary is elected. Don't try to bring Jesus into our dirty politics and our mudslinging .Just like I had to stretch all logic and theology to determine what Jesus would do on the interstate or grocery store, I see these pundits doing the same. Don't try to use Christianity to justify your unjustifiable, lacking-any-humility, bigot, money changer, adulterer. Keep His holy name out of our unholy politics. It's not right. Vote the way you want to vote - it's your right and I think obligation. Just don't besmirch our Heavenly Father by citing his endorsement or support or your choice. It's your choice - and only yours.
Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" Mt. 22:17. Our vote is our earthly obligation - our messy politics are too imperfect to anything but human.
Can I get an Amen?!
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