So, here’s the skinny: every Friday for over a year hundreds of people join a kind of writing flash mob over here.
For five minutes flat. No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation. This weeks prompt: Path
Following Jesus: You’re Doing It Wrong.
What would Jesus do? WWJD was an anthem in the 90′s to remind us all to stop and think about what we were doing, to ponder what our reaction should be, if we claim to be followers of Jesus.
And to keep that reminder in the forefront, mass marketing produced t-shirts, bracelets, necklaces and key chains lest you forget your moral choices and act with abandon as a heathen.
And I get it. It’s easier to think of Him in a formulaic way, like some paint by numbers steps to produce a decent imitation of the original masterpiece.
And I see so many Christians, and I have been the chief of them all, for I know my own heart, who see Jesus as some divine apparition who once imparted the ultimate self-help guide to a good life 101 manual and if we follow the steps then we will be just like Him. Good Christians.
So we try to hate the sin and love the sinner only that never works because lines blur and we are human and frail and sinners ourselves and when we ask what would Jesus do, we are asking the wrong question entirely.
A better question to ask: what is Jesus doing? In me, right now? What is he doing in the lives of those around me? How is He moving in this place because he’s alive, he’s not buried in some tomb, he came that we would have life everlasting and know His goodness and worship in awe and yet so often we make it into rules and steps and morality.
When everything we believe could just as easily be found in the self-help live your best life now section, when all of our choices have to do with being a good person instead of worshiping a holy God, there is something wrong, and maybe then we would know that what Jesus is doing, that’s not it.
Yes!
You’ve packed some heavy-duty thoughts in there in 5 minutes. Thank you for your words of wisdom this morning!
Linda Stoll recently posted..Navigating the Path
Thanks Linda.
THAT was an extremely productive Five-Minutes. Particularly the last paragraph. Thanks, and happy Friday!
Maggie S. recently posted..Wordful Wednesday: A Quick Catch-Up
Thanks Maggie. I tend to be a festerer and thoughts percolate for a long time over weeks so five minute Fridays are usually a great time to get it all out. Although some Fridays, like last, I stare at the page….
to use a super cheesy (but appropriate) cliche, this is some amazing food for thought here. thank you.
adriel booker recently posted..this one’s for all my blog friends
Thanks Adriel. Can’t wait to see you. Saw you got to Bend, we’ll grab coffee.
Alia–this is so inspired/anointed. Yes, “Jesus, what are you doing?” a good friend who leads our HOme Group has repeated this question to us over and over–always ask the Holy Spirit–God, what are you doing? in me? in these people?
excellent post.
bless you.
Thanks Jody, yes it’s a good reminder to plug into what’s active in our walk with God and not just try to make moral decisions based on legalism but to make empowered choices by the Holy Spirit.. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.