What "What Would Jesus Do" means to me

If you were alive in the 90's and the early 00's then you've heard the saying WWJD.

What would Jesus do? It became a mantra for Christians, an outcry, a rally call, and then it became noise. It was a one-off, this symbol means I am a Christian, I don't actually want to know what Jesus would do. I don't actually want that reminder that as a Christian, I am supposed to be Christ-like, a little Christ. 

So I ask myself, and in turn I ask you. What does it really mean...not the easy answer, but the real answer. What would Jesus really do? 

I took a dive into the only place I know I can undeniably know what Jesus would do, I dove into His letter to me. Matthew 9:35&36 tells me " Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."  

What DID Jesus do?

Went: move from one place to another; travel.

He didn't stay put, He didn't just pray that people would come to Him, He went to them. He wasn't complacent. He was mobile. I need to learn that, I need to be what Jesus was. I need to go, go out. As someone who is anxious simply writing this and putting it out for others to read scares me. But that isn't what Jesus would do. Jesus would speak to people.

Teaching: show or explain to (someone) how to do something.

He taught them where they were, in their comfort zones. Recently my mother was staying with me and had read a statistic about how many people will come to church, and it was low. I am called to be like Jesus, and people are watching me where we are. They are learning from me constantly, they are learning who this Jesus is by my attitude while I stand in the checkout line, while I discipline my children in the store, when I respond to attitudes in traffic, and how I react to my interpersonal relationships. I am always teaching. 

Proclaiming: announce officially or publicly

Jesus didn't keep quiet. He proclaimed the good news of the kingdom. I need to overcome my own sin fears and proclaim. Not just talk, or say something, but proclaim! Announce it officially, I AM a Christian and I know Christ, I want you to know Christ too, I know Heaven and Hell, and I do not want you to go to hell. I repeat, I do not want you to go to hell. Hell is real and I care enough about you to tell you. I care enough about you to tell you. Once more, I care enough about you, I will not let my fear overcome me and I will proclaim the good news of the kingdom to you. 

Healing: the process of making or becoming sound or healthy again.

Jesus healed...Jesus still heals. How, no not how but what can I heal. I believe that Christ can physically heal others through me, I believe miracles still happen, and I believe I can be used as a conduit for that. But outside of physical ailments what can I heal. I can heal my relationships, I can choose to forgive and let go. I can stand with my friends through their relationships, through teetering on divorce and help them choose to heal their marriages.  I can be a sounding board for my friends and reflect Christ and not noise to them. I through Christ can heal.

Compassion: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others

Jesus had compassion. Sympathetic pity, concern for their sufferings and misfortunes. DO I have actual compassion, or do I only show shallow compassion. Am I only a crying reaction or heart reaction on Facebook, or am I a call you and cry with you in your moment reaction. Is my compassion superficial and not real true heart-wrenching suffering with you compassion. Compassion is to suffer with, do I ignore the hard texts and only answer the easy ones. Do I run from your suffering or worse yet ignore it all together. What would Jesus do?

These are the things Jesus would do. And as a Christian, a true saved from literal Hell Christian, a called to be like Christ-Christian, a living word Christian these are the things I should do.