Grace 'n Grounds

There is a belief among many of my generation (those of us who refer to ourselves as Gen X) that the 90’s may have well been the best decade of music, fashion and pop culture. Bright gear. New and fresh faces in music. Seventeen magazine. Walkmans. I can go on and on. The 90’s also ushered in new slang, and one of these phrases became popular among evangelical teens during this very same decade of wacky fashion and hip hop battles-WWJD. So much so that it was emblazoned on bracelets for Christian youth to sport along with their neon tees and slouchy socks. Created by a youth pastor in Michigan in 1989, the acronym for the phrase “What Would Jesus Do?” became a reminder for a new generation of youth to emulate Christ.

It is likely you may have one of these bracelets. Perhaps you have a cool water bottle sticker with the acronym. A phone case. It may have even been the title of your last sermon.

But does the phrase guide our daily decisions and actions?

Let me explain why I ask.

I recently had a conversation with some young folks about the importance of being in attendance at church events and being in fellowship among a body of believers. The importance of the “church” to build up, encourage, and equip to share the gospel.

I was anticipating agreement since they were, in fact, attending a church. What I heard bothered me.

“I won’t encounter Jesus through the people there. Most are anything but.”

I imagine upon first hearing this or reading this, you may be offended. You may even want to jump to the defense. Of course, this can’t be the case.

But sadly it is. It is the reality for many who attend faithfully, and many who left. According to a report published by the Columbia Theological Seminary, in 2016, 28 percent of church members reported experiencing some kind of mistreatment within the church body.

I know. I know. “We all fall short.” This is true, yet…it should cause us some concern. It should press upon us to ask the question of ourselves: Do I truly act and speak different than the world? Do I love like Jesus? Do I truly do what He would do? Have I ever misrepresented Him in my actions or speech?

Jesus tells us in Luke 6:31 what he would do with those who have suffered church hurt and are part of that statistic, and those who are likely in our congregation and will never tell you about the hurt they have experienced.

We all know it as “The Golden Rule.” Do to others as you would like them to do to you. Luke 6:31, NLT

Meaning….

Forgive as He has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32). Not just when we expect forgiveness, but when we need to forgive those who have hurt us.

Love as He first loved you (1 John 4:19). Not simply demanding the love of Jesus for ourselves, but freely giving it in the way it was given and demonstrated to us. With kindness, compassion, and grace.

Be one with the Father. We can’t proclaim to know Him, and then do or say something about His creation that is contrary to His command to love.

Do we, collectively, need to take an honest inventory of how we show up as Jesus in the world? Could someone have left a room? Left a service? Left the church altogether because of something we said or did. An action that did not reflect who we say we serve?

And while we cannot change the past, we can choose to be Jesus now.

Here’s the advice I gave those disappointed folks, and I encourage us all to do the same: If you have been excluded, be an includer. If you have been hurt, be a healer. If you have been the subject of mean-spirited conversations, start a new, uplifting one. If you have seen anything BUT Jesus, well then-YOU be Jesus.

My prayer for those who have struggled with hurt in the church. Who have struggled with whether they even believe because of human action (or lack of). Who have left because “those people didn’t act like Jesus.” My prayer is that God sends someone to make them say-“Now THAT-that is a reflection of Jesus.”

What about you? Are you going to be that for someone?

I mean, come on….WWJD?