The most challenging question I’ve been asked today is, “How would Jesus act if He were you?” I know that brings to mind the WWJD trend of the 90’s, but it’s still a question worth asking.
That really struck my heart today. If Jesus were in my shoes, how would He behave? What would be His response, His attitude, His tone of voice, His words, His actions, the expression on His face?
Much better than mine!
I have all kinds of excuses for why I think/speak/behave the way I do when I’m not thinking/speaking/behaving the way I should. The unpleasant term self-righteous comes to mind. There’s a fatal flaw in that adjective, because NONE of us have a righteousness of our own. If we did, Jesus wouldn’t have had to die. But He did, and now HIS righteousness is called my own. Therefore there is no need for me to make excuses for my shortcomings or outright fails. Are not all excuses born of pride and/or fear? There is no reason for my pride or my fear. I have failed, yet I am accepted in Christ. Pride is squashed, and fear is answered.
All my excuses are a dung heap fit only for flies and fungi. The best thing I can do is abandon the excuses, take ownership for my sins, and fall on the grace that surrounds me even when I don’t feel it. That is the only way I will find peace.
How would Jesus act if He were I? Such a good question.
He would not be afraid. Knowing or not knowing what’s in the future doesn’t matter because I have a relationship with the Author of what is and what will be.
He would be patient. My timing is not what’s best. I’m not that smart to know when things should happen or how they should come to be. God is that smart and more. I don’t always know His timing, but He knows His timing & that’s enough.
He would keep His focus on God. No matter what responsibilities I have or what duties I must fulfill, what’s temporal is still what’s temporal; what’s eternal is still what’s eternal. And God is in every situation, every responsibility, every duty. I’m not on my own in anything, not even my struggles.
He would not be stressed. Jesus had the most important thing to do in the history of our world – bring salvation for our souls. He had to live perfectly, face every trial and temptation, suffer betrayal from his closest friends and condemnation from those who denied his identity, endure physical torture, then bear the guilt and death for the sins of the world that turned its back on Him. All my problems just fell into perspective. We can take the cop-out answer to that and say, “Well, He was God.” But we mustn’t forget He was fully man as well. When I read about Him sweating drops of blood in the garden before He was betrayed, I’m reminded of the reality that it was not easy for Him. Now, thanks to His sacrifice, I stand fully forgiven and clean before God, the same God who created all things, sustains all things, is sovereign over all things, knows all things, and cannot be thwarted; the same God who loves me, knows me, fashioned my body and personality and spirit, and wants me with Him for eternity. In view of that, what reason have I to be stressed or afraid? Any time I am overwhelmed, the odds are I’m trying to do something that is God’s job. I must leave Him to do His job and just do the tiny little bit that is my job and trust Him with whatever results.
What would Jesus do if He were I? He would spend time with God, His first love, and He would invest in the people God called Him to, be obedient to His Father, and love others well. He would do what is before Him and trust His Father to handle the rest. I should do the same.
Those are my thoughts for today. Many thanks to my church for sending out the devotional that asked me the question that I now pass on to you:
How would Jesus act if He were you?
the Beloved's joy 
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