Whether the phrase has you recalling Charles Sheldon's book from the 1890s or the fad of the 1990s, asking yourself "What would Jesus do?" does not work. Jesus could do what He did because of how He lived. If you want to do what Jesus would do, you must first live as He lived. In order to be like Christ, you must do the things He did.
He talked often with His Father, real conversation spent listening to what His Father had to say. He spent time in silence and solitude to ponder His Father's words. He fasted to give Himself the time and focus He needed. He knew that these things would gift Him with what was necessary for Him to achieve God's will for His life. It is the same for us.
My salvation is a gift of God's grace. How I live in that grace is up to me. I can choose to struggle on my own to achieve God's will for my life, or I can make use of the same tools Christ used to equip Himself. I've tried doing it my way, behaving as I thought a Christian ought, knowing all the right things to say, sharing my pale imitation of God's love with others. It wasn't until I realized if I wanted to be like Christ, I would have to live like Christ. As someone who has lived both ways I have to tell you there is nothing better than living the life He modeled.
Life becomes much easier when you realize God will gift you with the things you need to accomplish His plans if you only seek them. You can share God's love fully if you are totally connected to Him. So if you want to ask yourself WWJD, first live as Jesus lived. Ask yourself do you only worship Him, or do you follow Him as well?
Thankful for the role model,
Imitatio Christi,
jené
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