WHAT IF IT WAS JESUS?
We’ve been told to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” when faced with a difficult situation. We see bumper stickers and rubber bracelets and t-shirts and even tattoos that say, “WWJD?” to help remind us to try to be more like Him.
The other question I like to ask is, “What if it was Jesus?” Let me explain…
What if it was Jesus who just cut me off in traffic?
What if it was Jesus who just said that hurtful remark to me?
What if it was Jesus who just gave me ANOTHER task to do at work?
What if it was Jesus sitting on the street corner with a sign asking for money?
You’re probably thinking, “Yeah, but Jesus isn’t a jerk like the guy in traffic or my boss!”
True! However, we are ALL made in His image, (Genesis 1:27) yet we ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23) and therefore… can sometimes be jerks.
So, if it was Jesus in front of you in traffic, would you tailgate Him to show Him just how wrong it was for Him to cut in front of you?
If it was Jesus that just said something hurtful to you, would you let Him have it, giving full vent to your anger? (Proverbs 29:11)
If it was Jesus who gave you yet another task to do at work, (without giving you a raise!) would you give Him a piece of your mind and quit? (Colossians 3:23)
If it was Jesus flying a sign on the corner asking for money, would you pretend you don’t see Him as you sit at the stop light? (Luke 16:19-31)
Nope. Probably not.
So, we must go back to what Jesus taught us.
He summed up all the laws and the prophets with only two commands… basically love God and love each other, (Matthew 22:36-40) treating each other the way you’d like to be treated. (Luke 6:31)
You’d think 2 simple rules like this would be easy! Sadly, no. SUPER hard! At least for me!
So when that guy swerves in front of us and then slows down on purpose, or our boss treats us less than favorably, or someone says something that hurts our heart… let us try to show them the Jesus in us (Matthew 5:16) by first seeing the Jesus in them.
SCRIPTURES
Genesis 1:27 ~ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (NASB)
Romans 3:23 ~ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (NIV)
Proverbs 29:11 ~ A fool lets fly with all his temper, but a wise person keeps it back (NET)
Colossians 3:23 ~ Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. (NLT)
Luke 16:19-31 ~ There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ (ESV)
Matthew 22:36-40 - “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (NLT)
Luke 6:31 ~ Do to others as you would have them do to you. (NIV)
Matthew 5:16 ~ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (KJV)