What would Jesus do?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

"What Would Jesus Do?" I can’t begin to imagine how many wristbands have been sold that ask this question. Yet despite their popularity, I question their usefulness.

The idea, of course, is to encourage looking at a situation from God’s perspective. When we face a problem, we try to figure out the best way to respond by asking questions like "how can I benefit from this? How can I escape getting into trouble or looking bad?" Because we are all basically selfish, we try to finesse every situation to our own personal benefit. But when you ask "What Would Jesus Do?" you are encouraged to look for a solution that pleases God—will the most good be done for the most people, will justice prevail, will those who are sorry receive another chance?

Asking yourself "What Would Jesus Do" is not a bad idea. God’s perspective on things must always be considered. But there is a problem with "What Would Jesus Do"—Jesus was perfect, and we are not. Jesus is the Son of God, while we are only human. Jesus knows everything; our knowledge is limited. Jesus can see how things will turn out in the future; we cannot. Jesus is wisdom personified; sin makes our minds foggy and confused. A lot of the time, we don’t know what Jesus would do. We have a Bible full of His words, yet how many different forms of Christianity exist? If we cannot agree on what Jesus has said, how can we be sure of what He would do? And even if we knew what Jesus would do, we cannot behave like Him. He is perfect; we are flawed by sin. Every day we have plenty of reasons to ask Him for forgiveness. Paul writes, I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t (Romans 7:18). Jesus tells us to love each other, yet we trade gossip, get into arguments, and issue ultimatums. Sin cripples our ability to do what Jesus would.

How wonderful it is that Christ died for sins, once for all…to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18). He is willing and ready to forgive everything you’ve done wrong. He wants to take charge of your life, guiding you through every difficulty and giving you strength to endure all hardships. Don’t wonder what Jesus would do—ask Him in prayer to take you by the hand and lead you through life’s challenges. Trust in the Lord with all your heart;do not depend on your own understanding.