3:274 – WWJD – Hint: It’s Not Hard

#faithbites #faithjourney WWJD

Setting

I remember in the 90’s all of those WWJD bracelets. WWJC is What Would Jesus Do. I got to thinking about that today as I walked around the neighborhood just saying hello to my neighbors. Earlier I was on a huddle call for my D2MC groups and we talked about missional communities. The simple way to explain it is just living life together. It’s not about Bible thumping but sharing life together. WWJD points us to see that he lived with his followers, he helped the sick, the blind, the poor, the widow, the outcasts, the second class citizens (women, foreigners, orphans). While he did teach scripture, most of it was through story and his action.

We often think that to be like Jesus, we must start a big church program or a huge initiative. That’s not it at all. We can start by just opening your front door to others. Have a meal, share a story, invite them to get icecream.

WWJD? He would love on and live with everyone.

Scripture

• Matthew 4:18-22 – As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him. ²¹ Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
• Mark 2:13 – 17 – Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. ¹⁴ As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. ¹⁵ While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”¹⁷ On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinner

Reflection

We can learn a lot from Jesus. He didn’t just go to the temple and preach. Jesus didn’t just stand on a stage and read from scripture. Jesus did. He ate with sinners, he traveled door to door. Jesus lived life with his disciples and those whom he welcomed into the kingdom. When he went to Samaria, he stayed for three days living, eating, and sharing the Good News with him. (John Chapter 4). Jesus did.

So if we ask WWJD, we have an answer by what he did. Now we can ask ourselves WWJD? If we want to imitate Him, then we need to live like him. Invite people into your life. Eat with people. Share your story with others.

While we want to worship with people, we need to build a relationship with them first. That is called living. We learn to know them, do life with with, love them, and grow the Kingdom. So if you ask yourself What Would Jesus Do?, what does he tell you?

Challenge

Do one thing once like Jesus. Invite a friend to dinner at your house. Ask a neighbor to come over for a socially distanced fire pit. Checkup on a friend through social media and have a conversation. Each day, try something new. Then we will really begin to live life together. From there we have a foundation to share the word.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you gave us pretty simple examples on how to live and love. We try to make it complicated by turning it into a program or a project. Life is more than just checkboxes and projects. It’s about the way we live with each other. Instill in us a spirit of community. Help us to reach out and live life with people. Your word will naturally come through conversation. Remind us that we don’t have to force your word. You are present wherever two or more are gathered. Help us to keep it simple and always keep your example in mind. In your gracious name, Amen