What Would Jesus Not Do! Part #1,

Introduction

By Warren E. Berkley

WWJD. You have seen this on bracelets, bumper stickers, caps and luggage. In the fall catalog published and mailed by CHRISTIAN BOOK DISTRIBUTORS, there is a whole page of WWJD products, ranging from ball caps to ink pens. What is this fad? What does WWJD stand for?

It stands for WHAT WOULD JESUS DO. In tracing the beginning of this current fad or campaign, CNN reporter Ed Garsten said: "The bracelets were born from an idea in a book called 'In His Steps,' written in the late 1800's by Charles Sheldon." Garsten interviewed a Calvary Reformed Church preacher who said that a member of his church decided that the phrase "would make a good bracelet for youth." Part of the initial marketing concept was, if someone asks you what the initials mean, you have an opportunity to tell them about Jesus. At first, only a few bracelets were produced by small church groups and individuals. When the fad caught on, major manufacturing producers saw the profit potential and mass production now churns out thousands a week. But this is not limited to bracelets. There are all sorts of clothing articles and many varieties of products bearing the symbol WWJD. And there are hundreds of WEB sites on the Internet devoted to these products.

I have no intention of discouraging anyone from thinking about WHAT JESUS WOULD DO or talking to others about Him. The concept is biblically sound (1 Jno. 2:6). The world would be transformed into a much better place if more people would think like Jesus, talk like Jesus and follow His example seriously and daily. By definition, a Christian is a follower of Christ. The concept is sound, but I have my doubts about the method and the marketing.

I wonder if it has ever occurred to anyone, WOULD JESUS ADVERTISE AND MARKET RELIGIOUS PRODUCTS in this manner? It is legitimate to sell and make a profit, if you are honest and fair. Yet I doubt that Jesus would be so anxious to see an opportunity to make money based on something like this.

One must ask, is all this about doing what Jesus would do? How much of this current fad is based on the message, and how much is based on the medium or method? Well, the message has been around long before this particular medium. Only now is this particular message, phrased this way, yielding such huge profits for producers who may have little interests in Jesus, and little knowledge of what He did and said.

Are the bracelets being bought and worn out of conviction or conformity? Do those who wear the clothing and jewelry really know what's involved in following Jesus? Are they devoted to all the teachings of Christ in the New Testament? I cannot ask anyone to not wear the jewelry. I cannot reform or purge the marketing of the products.

I can say that being a Christian involves much more than a popular and spiffy wrist band. I can affirm that some who wear no such jewelry and have no desire to use this method are firmly devoted to the example of Christ. Regardless of what we wear on our body, what we wear inside will prompt us to take every opportunity to tell people about Jesus: His life, death, resurrection, promises and teachings.

And it occurs to me, we also need to consider WHAT JESUS WOULD NOT DO. This series of articles will develop that theme.

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