WWJW: What Would Jesus Write?

Remember years ago, when WWJD was the craze? Books were written, sermons given, T-shirts printed, and bracelets produced with those letters that represented the question, “What Would Jesus Do?” People responded with a wide variety of answers. Some were drawn from what the Bible teaches, others were shaped primarily by, “Well, if I were Jesus, here’s what I would do….”

 

Not wanting to revive that fad, or spark another for that matter, but I’m thinking there’s a similar question worth considering: What Would Jesus Write?

 

You might be thinking, “Whaddya mean?” Before offering my explanation, first I must give credit where it’s due. This idea was sparked while listening to Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth’s “Revive Our Hearts” radio program. 

She was wrapping up a series on the book of Revelation, which includes letters the Lord directed the apostle John to write to seven churches in Asia Minor. John was instructed, “To the church in Ephesus write…,” and then to Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. As with the rest of the Bible, God used human hands to record His thoughts, teachings, and commandments.

 

However, the Scriptures recount one occasion when Jesus paused to write literally, although it’s up for debate what He actually wrote. It happened after Jewish teachers of the law and Pharisees had caught a woman in the act of adultery. They brought her to Jesus, asking Him, “In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (John 8:3-5). 

 

Why did they do this? Feeling threatened by His growing following and fearful that He would usurp their authority, they were hoping to trap Jesus, using His response to discredit Him and His teachings.

 

Rather than giving an oral answer, however, Jesus did something they didn’t expect: “…But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. When they kept questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first…” (John 8:6-9).

 

What a curious thing to do when confronted by hostile accusers, right? Granted, no one knows for certain what Jesus wrote in the dirt, but here’s a conjecture: Perhaps He was jotting down sins each of the religious leaders was guilty of committing. Being God incarnate, Jesus might even have written so that every one of them saw their own sins exposed. I don’t know, but maybe?

 

We do know the Lord is fond of the written word. He inspired and guided the writing of the Scriptures, commonly referred to as the Word of God. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

 

The Gospel of John opens by declaring, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:2). Expanding on this, Hebrews 1:3 tells us, "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” Jesus Christ, the Word of God in the flesh, is incomparable in using words to communicate His truth.

 

Then we have Hebrews 4:12 which asserts, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Again, we see how God uses the written word to convey His eternal, life-changing message.

 

Getting back to Revelation and the letters to the seven ancient churches, to each one God stated, “I know your deeds,” or “I know your afflictions and your poverty,” or “I know where you live.” The Lord is saying He knows each one personally and intimately. For most of them, then came words of encouragement, followed by a warning or an admonition.

 

The exception, expressed in what God directed John to write to the church in Laodicea, were these strong words of condemnation: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot…. So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

 

How would you like the Lord to write that – or something similar – about you? Not me! Professing believers in Laodicea weren’t zealous for God, but neither were they intentionally rejecting Him. They were, in a single word, apathetic. That’s the worst condition of all; they thought well of themselves but were indifferent to the Lord they claimed to believe in.

 

Still, God was not ready to wash His hands of them. He closed His letter to them by declaring, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am: I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

 

Many of us are familiar with the “I stand at the door and knock” statement. It’s often viewed as an evangelistic invitation. However, the context shows Jesus is speaking to His church, people who would have answered affirmatively to the term “Christian.” Yet they were lukewarm toward Him. In the slang of today, their reaction would be, “Meh,” accompanied by a shrug.

Let’s bring this home by asking ourselves, ‘WWJW: What Would Jesus Write’ about each of us? Might be a tough question to consider. But it’s one we should ponder and pray about, asking the Lord what He would write about us right now. 

The Benefits of 24/7 Access, Without Limitations

Over the years, I’ve been in many business meetings where the general rule was, “Absolutely no interruptions.” Staff not participating in the meetings knew they were not to intrude, barring legitimate emergencies – or maybe an approaching tornado. 

In today’s world, the ubiquity of cellphones has made that rule more difficult to enforce. But at times, to prevent any and all distractions, even smartphones are designated off limits – much to the dismay of the electronically addicted. If the desire is to ensure everyone’s undivided attention, it might be necessary to prevent the invasion of calls, texts, emails, or even game-playing during lulls.

 

Many times, however, I’ve seen a recurring exception: when someone’s child (especially the boss’s), really needs to talk to mom or dad, and right now. Many top executives, when approached by their offspring, willingly put meetings on pause for a few moments to address their children’s concerns.

 

Calls from important customers or clients may be responded to with a polite, “Tell them I’ll have to call them back.” But if little Will or Susie calls or requires a brief audience, a five-minute meeting break is often announced. Maybe even encouraged, especially if the corporate culture is family-oriented.

 

In the home, this is also the case. Each of us who are parents know what it’s like to be awakened out of sound slumber by a son or daughter that needs us. It might have been a bad dream, an upset tummy, or the proverbial monster under the bed, but they know that they’ve got full and immediate access to mom or dad until the crisis is resolved.

 

One reason I think about this because it’s the same – in a far more profound way – in our relationship with God. Our Heavenly Father is never too busy, distracted or preoccupied when we need to talk with Him. This is why Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

 

I’m constantly amazed knowing there’s no way we could do this with the President of the United States, the CEO of a major corporation, a star athlete, media celebrity, or the head of the college where you or your children attend. 

 

Part of it is because we don’t have a personal relationship with them. But beyond that, they all have levels of importance that prohibit “ordinary people” to approach them in an impromptu way. For each of God’s children, however, any day, at any time, we never have to meet a “Do not disturb” or “Positively no interruptions” sign.

 

In fact, one of the first Bible verses I ever learned instructs us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In other words, God welcomes an ongoing interaction with us throughout the day. This is affirmed by Jesus’ promise to His followers, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). 

 

We’re never to feel like we’re on the outside looking in to catch the Lord’s attention. In fact, it’s much the opposite. A familiar passage, Revelation 3:20, gives the image of Jesus being on the outside, waiting for our invitation to enter: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

 

Putting it another way, the Lord is assuring us, “I’m here for you, 24/7, no exceptions, no limitations. I’m available when you are. My door is always open.” Isn’t that good to know?

Missing Out on a Great Deal

What if that "too good to be true" offer really was true?

Have you ever gotten one of those phone calls announcing, “Hello, you’ve won an all-expenses paid trip to…”? Maybe it was a cruise to the Caribbean, Alaska or Europe, or an extended vacation at some posh hotel or resort. What has been your reaction?

We get calls like that at least once a week. I either hang up immediately or, if it’s a real, breathing person calling and not some computerized recording, politely state I’m not interested or don’t have time to talk…then hang up. Maybe you do the same.

But what if the offer proved to be legitimate – you really did win some incredible, no-cost-to-you excursion? You’d want to accept it, right? If the offer were for you to go anywhere you wanted, no money out of your pocket whatsoever, where would it be? Ponder that for a moment.

Now: What if you received a call like that, but dismissed it as a marketing scheme, only to learn later – too late – that it was genuine? Maybe your next-door neighbor, or a good friend, received that same call and was now packing for the trip of a lifetime, while you were resigned to staying home, all because you said, “No thanks. We’re not interested.” How would you feel?

I don’t suggest allowing yourself to get suckered in the next time a telemarketer dials your number. There are too many scams and con artists out there, ready to pounce on the next gullible individual they find. But there are real contests out there, and real people do win them. At least that’s what I’ve heard. It would be a shame to miss out, wouldn’t it?

Sadly, every day thousands of people ignore or turn down an opportunity that seems too good to be true, forfeiting the offer of a lifetime – actually, an eternal lifetime. This offer, you’ve probably surmised by now, is eternal life. It truly is free, no strings attached, available to anyone willing to receive it.

One of the first Bible verses I ever learned was Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There it is in just 20 words. We can’t earn it or deserve it – what we’ve earned or deserve is death, everlasting separation from God. But in its place we’re offered a gift – eternal life and an everlasting relationship with God based on what Jesus has already done for us.

Because as Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Putting it in everyday terms, He erased a debt He did not owe to pay a price we could not pay. One caveat: like any gift, it must be accepted. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

As with the phone call we get promising something that sounds too good to be true, countless people every day are rejecting this great deal – this incomprehensible offer. Reasons are many. Some conclude, “It’s just too good to be true – it can’t be that simple.” A good friend said those words to me years ago. Thankfully, in time he discovered it is true – and it is that simple.

Most people refuse the gift out of pride, in one manner or another. Some think they can prove themselves deserving, that they’re good, moral people, so how could God reject that? Others are defiant; they want to live their lives their way without any interference from God or anyone else. There’s the old “faith is a crutch” rationale. And some blame the Lord for the pain in their lives, or problems we see around the world – therefore they opt for disbelief or choose to reject God, as if He needs our stamp of approval.

I compare that to the phone call with the fantastic promise. Most offers do sound too good to be true, because they are. But I can attest, along with thousands of people I’ve met over the years, that God’s offer of eternal life, hope, joy and peace – far beyond anything the world can offer – is good. And it’s true. Just not “too good to be true.”

Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). Unfortunately, even among those that profess to be His followers, we sometimes leave Jesus outside the door, knocking and asking to be welcomed in while we busily go about our business.

Perhaps someone reading this needs to answer the door and for the first time, invite Jesus to enter. Others may know Him, at least on a casual basis, but if they’re honest, He’s not yet their Lord. If you’re one of them, maybe it’s time to let the door swing open and for once, allow Him to show that He truly is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

Opportunity No Longer Opportune?

It used to be said, “When Opportunity knocks, don’t forget to answer the door.” Now, apparently, when Opportunity chooses to knock, we should respond by shouting, “Go away, you racist, sexist so-and-so!”

Recently University of California faculty members were provided a list of “microaggressive” terms to be avoided, words and phrases that could be construed as bigotry. Among them is the term, “land of opportunity.” Part of the reasoning, it seems, is that it “assert(s) that race and gender (do) not play a role in life successes.” Gee, who knew? Years ago when I was hiring staff people and discussed the opportunity they could have in working for us, I had no idea I was offending anyone. Sorry ‘bout that!

When opportunity knocks,
who is answering?

These days it’s not opportunity, but entitlement that has many people excited. If you’re a certain demographic, there are those who believe you’re automatically entitled, whether you’re deserving or not. Simply having the opportunity isn’t enough.

Looking over my life, I can recall many instances when I had opportunities – and other times when I didn’t. I was able to earn a high school diploma, then attend and graduate from college, earn a master’s degree, and then become hired for a succession of jobs that afforded me many opportunities for growth both professionally and personally.

But I never had the opportunity to play basketball in the NBA, college or even high school. Too short, too slow, too uncoordinated. Shame on those coaches for being so intolerant of my deficiencies!

I’ve never had the opportunity to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Guess I wasn’t brash enough to say “You’re fired!”, or good-looking enough to appear in TV commercials. And no one yet has given me the opportunity to perform brain surgery. (And countless thousands, whether they know it or not, are grateful for that.)

But then I think of my grandparents, who immigrated to the United States from Hungary, passing through the portals of Ellis Island outside New York City. They came to this country because they did view it as a “land of opportunity,” and seemed to forge reasonably happy, successful lives. My grandfathers worked in steel mills of McKeesport, Pa., and while they never earned more money than required for the daily needs of their families, I don’t recall my parents talking about anyone dying of starvation or suffering from other forms of deprivation.

Today we have men and women of all ethnicities and backgrounds that have risen to positions of prominence in virtually all strata of society. This doesn’t mean everyone is destined to hold roles of high influence, but that doesn’t mean they can’t experience fulfilling lives.

Thinking of opportunities, perhaps most important are the assurances the Bible gives us of what God offers to us all. In Jeremiah 29:11, we’re told He has a purpose for us all. “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

We’re given the opportunity to join with God in this great enterprise He’s established on earth. “For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building” (1 Corinthians 3:9).

The Lord extends to us the opportunity and privilege of serving as His representatives in a world that desperately needs to know and see Him in action in the lives of His people. “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Perhaps best of all, God invites us to share in the most special of opportunities, to become members of His eternal family. “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:15-16).

Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). More than 35 years ago I answered the door when Jesus knocked, and when I get caught up in the busyness of life, He continues to knock, reminding me that He’s there, ready to spend time with me. This greatest opportunity of all is available to anyone who will accept it.

In many nations, men, women and children who profess faith in Christ face threats of violent persecution, even death. Today in the United States, opposition toward those who believe in the Bible and follow Jesus seems on the increase, but at least for now we have the opportunity – the freedom – to worship and order our lives according to our convictions.

And for those feel disinclined to believe in Jesus, the Bible, or even a God of all creation, that opportunity is there for them as well.

So do we live in the “land of opportunity”? In more ways than not, I’d have to say that we do.