Jesus was a Democrat? The Lord was a Republican? Jesus said, “Nahhh I am an Independent”.
Enter stage right. Or was it stage left? Well, really it doesn’t matter. Jesus hit the stage. He entered to a raucous crowd shouting, “Jesus….Jesus….Jesus”! He walked up to the mic and delivered a rousing speech. The media said, “It was one for the ages”. The crowd roared, the signs held high, “Jesus 2024”! The bright lights shined down on Jesus. As he walked off the stage microphones from all the media outlets pushed forward to his face. Then he stopped. Thought for a second and said…”I am for all people”.…..and which party do you think he was on stage for? If you are a “party person” I am sure he was speaking for you and yours. Well only in your dreams.
We have been programmed to believe that Jesus would be political and for our cause. He would be a strict legalist when it comes to crime and justice. What a conservative way of thinking Lord. Others believe he would be a Socialist because he spoke about “Helping the least of these”. Man, what a progressive point of view. “Jesus, I pray that you will restore our nation to the place it was.” Or “Jesus you have pulled us from the depths of the decades, heck even a couple centuries, of despair and now you have finally overcome the sins of the past.” Either way we have a champion for our way of thinking and life.
I have been perplexed at the silliness of the left and right in our country using Jesus as a foundation to their agenda. Ideology is the name of the game, and the Lord needs my beliefs to spread his Matthew 28-“The Great Commission” message. “All around the world statues tumble for me.” Well, spread it in my way of thinking, not the psycho others way. “He is growing tired of the other sides thinking and I am just waiting for that glorious day of his return to put the other side in that Hades of shame.”
In the 1970’s and 80’s there was movement that spread through schools, churches and even in to the mainstream. People would have these little bracelets on their wrist or letters on their T-Shirts. A simple four letters, but life changing if you took it to heart. Those letters were “WWJD”. You all know what it means but just in case you were in a coma for the entire decade or not born yet it was the initials for a movement called, “What Would Jesus Do”? Simple, but profound.
The premise behind the WWJD was simple. In any given scenario you had in front of you in life and before deciding what to do go ask yourself, “What would the Lord do”? This would be even interesting for today’s society and even more so if people wouldn’t use Jesus for their movement and let Jesus lead you to the movement. Religious or not both sides are using the “Big Guy” for their movement and in the meantime, I am quite sure the “Big Guy” is just shaking his head at all the disinformation and misinformation about himself.
Jesus didn’t allow the stoning of a woman accused of adultery. Jesus ate with the homeless people. Heck, Jesus was homeless. He said he had no place to lay his head when a man asked to follow him. Jesus healed the sick and didn’t ask for a co-pay. He even healed the mentally ill and disabled and never sent a bill to the Roman government, insurance company or the local medical facility. Jesus was about serving people where they were. He loved people. He didn’t judge them.
Jesus never had a church building with lights and cameras, a praise band, or programs for Wednesday nights. But he did worship, pray, and heal; without all the people expecting society to do their part. Jesus did his part…..He served. Jesus never owned a home, paid property taxes, or expected Caesar to provide food, healthcare, or a retirement plan. But he did accept food and a place to lay his head on a knapsack when he traveled with his followers.
In my estimation what this country and society needs is not a religion, or even a religious “so called” Revival. What we need is a moral and ethical movement of a compromise that groups these two ideologies together. “But wait, there is no compromise to abortion, same sex marriage, or even the direction socially of our country.” I ask, “Why not”? Why are we so morally correct or joined with one issue or maybe even a few, but we do not seek the same morality and ethics in other ways.
It is very much like the same way we embrace forgiveness and judgement. We are so quick to point out other deficiencies and especially there “crazy ideologies” as we just claim moral superiority for our sense of power. “Hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye.”(Matthew 7:5) See you stand on the “Spurgeon Box” and preach against the killing of an unborn and call yourself a keeper of life. Good for you and you should. But the same person will never lift a hand for an adopted kid, spend anytime at all with the less fortunate that is in need and especially never get under a bridge and take the hand of a homeless person out of the hood.
See this is my quandary; without understanding, forgiveness, and non-judgment you will never be in the true presence of doing WWJD. Sorry to spoil your “Stairway to Heaven”. You either get with thy neighbor and work together within this country or you continue to be part of the problem. You expect the other side to take every step towards your ideology or they are the problem. Imagine doing this same insanity in any relationship you have. It will not work. Be a better follower of Jesus. Be a better friend, neighbor, and person.
On election night 2024 the results were finally in. Jesus won but not by a landslide, but by the narrowest of margins. He wouldn’t get a mandate in this country because of the division that we insist on having because we must be right, instead of being loving towards all pe0ple. WWJD? If you give Jesus a landslide and a mandate, I guarantee you the things you think you have to give up to compromise will forever change this country for the better. Jesus 2024… a slight win. We change our thought process and go with WWJD; Jesus and the country wins in a landslide in 2028 and so on…..
The Coach John Brent
