I heard recently, can't remember where or from whom, that a lot of problems in living the gospel, be it the fullness or part of it if that is all one has, seems to be the found in the notion of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?).
That idea seems to be such a great philosophy at face value, but what it seems to create is a sense of creating god after one's own image. It sort of engenders a feeling of creating a defense for why one does things that are not in accord with Christ's doctrine... because this is the way one has imagined Jesus would do things.
Wouldn't it be better to think What Would Jesus Have Me Do?
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
The gospel of WWJD and its attendant twin of 'self atonement' have become so popular these days inside and outside of the church! It is as if we just say 'What would Jesus Do' that we are somehow doing everything so perfectly and wonderfully well. Worse yet, some feel justified in just saying the WWJD phrase and give no more thought to it!
Even ALLEGEDLY mainstream people in the Church don't truly consider what the full import of actually doing what Jesus not only would do, but what Jesus would have US to do. It's way too easy to point fingers and say what other people AREN'T doing than to sweep around our own dirty doorsteps in regards to our conduct with others, our actions in the world as a whole and our commitment to personal study and growth.
and I am quite sure my remarks will stir up a firestorm.
It's way too easy to point fingers and say what other people AREN'T doing than to sweep around our own dirty doorsteps in regards to our conduct with others, our actions in the world as a whole and our commitment to personal study and growth.
Amen, sister.
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"There is order in the way the Lord reveals His will to mankind. . .we cannot receive revelation for someone else's stewardship." L. Tom Perry
How weird is it that even in my head, I sound sarcastic when I don't mean to be, and yet I am? I have GOT to quit that.
I think the hardest part of WWJHMD, is staying close enough to The Spirit to know the correct answer.
It is a much more difficult question to answer.
Finally, for once the thought that "first you must know the right question" makes a little more sense to me. In the past, it's just been something cutesy that people say.
Well, here on Bountiful, I've found evidence of both Hoss and myself saying something to the effect of WWJHMD. Here are some of highlights:
Hiccups (on another thread): So, while the question of what Jesus would do is a fine and noble one, I'm not sure that it's the right one for me. Jesus doesn't have the weaknesses that I do. (And yay for that!) I am rather imperfect in my tendancies towards denial, anger, arrogant bargaining and selfish depression. I think the better question is between Heavenly Father, Jesus & I. And it's "What would Thou have me do?" And I should follow that up with some urgent pleading for the strength to do it.
Hoss (on same other thread): Exactly. Jesus said many things, at an appropriate time and place. Even quoting him exactly does not necessarily make us right in every single instance. Mostly because we never have the whole story, so frequently we use the words of Jesus to somehow justify ourselves in doing what we want to do anyway. Even when "what we want to do" is wildly inappropriate.
So, as I always say, the right question is not "WWJD?" The right question is "what does Jesus want ME to do?" And the correct answer to that question requires our hearts to be full of love, and inspiration of The Spirit.
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I knew I remembered having that same thought. LOL. Anyway, I'll just refer you guys to my quote above for my take on it. It still says what I feel about the matter.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
Isn't it interesting how fast the band wagon fills up when the idea presented is a good one and how quickly the rats desert the ship when the comfort level drops to precariously low levels???
The whole issue behind discovering FOR OURSELVES just exactly what Jesus would have US to do has more to do with our heart and where we are placing stress and emphasis instead of who has the most witty rejoinder.
If we are more concerned with outside praise for what looks good to the worldview of WWJD, we have missed the point ENTIRELY!
Frankly, I have found that people who wear those little special bracelets are more concerned with people SEEING them wearing them than with how they ACTUALLY ACT while wearing them.
All of this is about maturation in the gospel and gaining a perspective based on TRUTH as it is distilled upon us line upon line. And I have seldom found myself on the same level as the 'big talkers' of the world. I tend to wander around with my little birthday candle sized flame to light my path. That doesn't make it impossible for me to get more light, but when windbags come along and blow out my flame just because it doesn't measure up to THEIR flame of exalted, imperical truth based on the silicon bracelet and attitude they wear, then they hamper my ability to progress.
It's call oppression people.
Don't spit on the cake and tell me the candles were put out by the rain!
Unfortunately too many people don't ask themselves the question "What would Jesus Have Me do?" during the moments it needs to be asked the most. And the question "What would Jesus do?" doesn't come up at all during those moments.
Unfortunately too many people don't ask themselves the question "What would Jesus Have Me do?" during the moments it needs to be asked the most. And the question "What would Jesus do?" doesn't come up at all during those moments.
there is ABSOLUTE truth there.
I think that's one of the reasons that the scriptures say the word 'remember' so frequently. I think there are something like 352 scriptures that use the word in one context or another.
So it must be important for us to remember to ASK the right question "what WOULD Jesus have me do".
Just thinking about it isn't the same as asking, either.
"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye
shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace o God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." Moroni 10:32
In my life I have spiritual cycles. Sometimes I am really strong on one thing, and sometimes on another in my studies. Lately it keeps just drawing back to the Atonement, and how grateful I am for the love of my Heavenly Father and my Savior. It's such a personal gift that He gave to me, and I find myself wanting to give Him a gift back, so I find myself especially remembering that I want to do whatever I can to do what the Lord would have me do, so that I can draw closer to Him.
Those are definitely better days than the days I don't remember.
Sometimes I think that our purpose in this life is to remember many of the things we forgot when the veil was places before us. One of those things is having the constant companion of the Spirit and knowing how to listen to it.
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Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.
— Oscar Wilde
