How Do You Think Jesus Would Vote?

Remember the popular bracelet of years ago with the letters “WWJD”? In case you’ve had a memory lapse or spent those years on a remote island with no outside contact, they represented the words, “What Would Jesus Do.”  

This phrase originated in Charles M. Sheldon’s 1896 novel, In His Steps, about a pastor who challenged his congregation to do nothing of consequence without first asking, “What would Jesus do?” It told stories of people whose lives were transformed by using this simple question to guide their actions and decisions.

 

The bracelets aren’t often seen today. But the question still arises from time to time, and it’s still important. For instance, staring at a computer screen when questionable material pops up, asking what Jesus would do might help in overcoming temptation. When a cashier mistakenly gives too much change and we start to think about keeping the excess, asking what Jesus would do might nudge us to point out the mistake. Considering how to use an unexpected bonus at work or sudden windfall, it might be interesting to ponder how Jesus would use it.

 

Recently, the question arose during a casual conversation with a friend. We’d ventured into the realm of politics and the upcoming Presidential election. At one point my friend paraphrased the slogan by asking, “How do you think Jesus would vote?”

 

We exchanged comments, but afterward it had me thinking. For questions of a spiritual nature, I’ve realized my opinion isn’t any better or worse than anyone else’s. What does matter is God’s opinion.

 

Based on what the Scriptures tell us, we might say the question of how Jesus would vote is moot. Because nowhere in the Gospels do we see Jesus Christ engaging in political activism. Even though the oppressive Roman empire was a major problem in those days. The one exception might be in Matthew 22:15-22, when the religious leaders sought to trap Him in controversy by asking, “Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar of not?” 

 

In response, Jesus asked that a coin used for paying the tax – a denarius – be brought to Him. Looking at it, He inquired, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” When his adversaries responded it was that of Caesar, Jesus replied, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

 

The only other recorded time Jesus directly engaged with Roman authorities was during the trial that led to His crucifixion. When confronted by Pontius Pilate, who asked, “Are You the king of the Jews?” Jesus didn’t mount an elaborate defense or challenge Pilate’s authority from Rome. His response was, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36).

 

Politics and earthly governmental affairs were not Jesus’ mission.

 

That’s not to say followers of Christ shouldn’t participate in the election process, or even seek public office if they feel led to do so. Because the Bible gives us numerous examples of devout people God used to accomplish His purposes, including: 

Joseph, who rose to rank second only to Pharaoh in Egypt, using his influence to save his family and the people of Israel from a severe famine. 

Daniel, one of the Israelites exiled to Babylon, who became an important advisor to three kings – Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar and Darius. 

Ezra and Nehemiah, who were commissioned by the kings of Persia and Babylon to rebuild the ruined city of Jerusalem. 

 

So, with a crucial election coming up, it might be better to revise the question a bit. How would God want us to vote? There are many criteria we can use, including candidates’ qualifications and character, and where they stand on issues we deem to be important. 

 

As is often the case in the complex world in which we live, there are few easy answers. For followers of Christ, we’d be wise to do as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11 – “they examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” I’d suggest that the Bible can give us similar insight as we ponder the perplexities of politics and policies.

 

In addition, fervent prayer – for our own decision-making and for the outcomes in the coming election – is crucial. We have no greater encouragement for this than in 2 Chronicles 7:14, which declares, “if My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 

 

Praying, humbly seeking God, and turning from our own sins. It says if we do these things, then God will hear, forgive, and bringing healing to our land.

 

I also believe it’s vital that we trust in God’s sovereignty – that He’s ultimately in control and not caught off guard or surprised by anything we do, right or wrong. His plans and purposes will prevail. Job concluded near the end of his painful ordeal, “I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

 

The book of Proverbs affirms this numerous times. Here are just two examples: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Proverbs 21:30).

 

So, after studying the Scriptures, praying and humbly seeking the Lord, we should “be anxious for nothing,” as Philippians 4:6 admonishes. This isn’t always easy, but even when things are not going as I think they should, I sense God is saying, “Not to worry. I’ve got this.” 

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. 

Recognizing the Lasting Imprint of Our Steps

Do you remember the “Footprints in the Sand” story? It’s about someone dreaming of walking along a beach with the Lord, watching a panorama of scenes from his or her life and seeing two sets of footprints trailing behind. Then the person observes that at times, there’s only one set of footprints.

 

“I notice that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints,” the person says. “I don’t understand why you left my side when I needed you most.” To which the Lord replies, “…I never left you during your time of trial. Where you see only one set of footprints, I was carrying you.”

That imagery has always moved me, sometimes to the point of tears. Because I can remember numerous times in my life that, if God were not carrying me, I would not have made it through. In the Scriptures, the Lord promises to be with us at all times – it’s just that sometimes, He’s doing all the heavy lifting.

 

A plaque with this story, in the shape of a footprint, hangs on my office wall. It came to mind while reviewing the final draft of a novel that a friend, Sondra, has written. Only, she offered a new twist.

 

Describing a scene where several couples have come together for a social gathering, she writes: 

“…I notice the footprints on the carpet. Indentations made by everyone’s shoes. Some large, some small. But the steps visibly show where the guests have walked. All had left their mark. It hit me. Our walk through life leaves a mark. Everywhere we go, everything we say and do, we leave a print. Good or bad, we leave a mark that says, ‘I’ve been here.’” 

 

“Footprints in the Sand” focuses on singular footprints left by the Lord, but Sondra gives a great reminder about the impression, the mark that we leave behind – the impact we have on others as we cross paths with them during our journey through life. 

 

Have you ever stopped to wonder what kind of mark you’re leaving behind? 

 

Remember the ‘WWJD” fad of some years ago? “What Would Jesus Do”? That idea was originated in a little book, In His Steps,” by Charles Sheldon. The title is drawn from 1 Peter 2:21, in which the apostle exhorts, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” In the book, an entire congregation resolves not to make any decisions of consequence without asking the question, What would Jesus do?

 

But there’s another side to that. There are people around us – family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, people we minister to – who are watching us, following us. The Scriptures acknowledge that, and say we shouldn’t shrink from such an important, yet humbling responsibility. 

 

Writing to the church in Corinth, after speaking about the freedom believers have in Christ, the apostle Paul boldly declares, “Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God – even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1). Earlier in the book, the apostle gives an admonition that seems almost audacious: “Therefore I urge you to imitate me” (1 Corinthians 4:16). Yet, shouldn’t we be willing to say the same?

 

To the church in Philippi, Paul wrote, “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you” (Philippians 3:17). And in writing to his young protégé, Timothy, he says, “Follow the pattern of the sound words you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus…” (2 Timothy 1:13).

 

As a child, did you ever walk in some mud and then proceed to track it through the house? What about the tracks you leave when walking across freshly fallen snow? The mud can be mopped or swept up, and snow tracks will disappear when it thaws or when additional snow falls to fill the indentations. But the tracks we leave in the lives and hearts of those whom we interact from day to day are usually long lasting, even permanent.

 

So it’s not a question of whether we’re leaving a print or mark as we march on this exciting, sometimes perplexing adventure we call life. The question is, what kind of mark is it that we leave? And are we satisfied with that? If not, what can we do about it – starting right now?

Worshiping in All the Wrong Places

Having the right object of worship can help us learn to focus
on people and their interests, rather than our own.

A social media post recently declared that in the United States “we need to put the worship of the almighty dollar aside, and take care of people first.” I agree, to a point. Capitalism, consumerism and materialism seem to have converged, resulting in obeisance to money and things, at the expense of concern for the needs of people.

These days we think and talk a lot about not only those suffering from abject poverty, but also people working hard, often with more than one job, who still can’t seem to get ahead. Too much week, or month, always remaining at the end of their pay.

So the solution, it seems, is simple: Cease the mindless worship of the so-called almighty dollar and instead, start doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. Alas, like most simple solutions, it just ain’t that easy.

For those who do worship money, whose answer to “How much is enough?” is “Just a little bit more,” they’re going to need more motivation than a simple plea to “stop!” Their response is likely to be something like, “Why? Why should I even care? Ya gotta look out for number one. I’ve got mine, so go get your own.”

For most us, if we were to hear that kind of reaction, we’d recoil in horror: How insensitive! How uncaring! How selfish! And yet, our society constantly tells us, “it’s all about me” – so why should we worry about the needs of others? We reply, because it’s the right thing to do! According to whom? If we’re nothing but products of mindless, purposeless evolution, why should we have any concern about one another? Survival of the fittest and all that.

Years ago, a country song bemoaned, “looking for love in all the wrong places.” I suspect one reason we’ve lost compassion and sensitivity for people around us is because we’ve focused our worship in all the wrong places. MBA programs in the vaunted business schools may teach about the bottom line, maximizing productivity, squeezing the most out of the people working for you, and how to grow one’s unique brand globally, but how many of them spend time on how to selflessly serve the interests of customers, clients and employees?

I referred to this in a recent post, but the decided shift from the sacred toward the secular in recent decades has “freed” decision-makers from wondering, “What does God think about this?” or “What would Jesus do?” as the faddish WWJD bracelets used to remind us. If our god isn’t the almighty dollar, then it’s our own self-interests. When we worship self, it’s a demanding, uncompromising “deity.”

However, when we truly worship the God of all eternity, not with mere lip service but with passion and devotion, “self” has a way of diminishing in our focus. John the Baptist, upon realizing who Jesus Christ was, said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Another translation states it this way: “He must become greater; I must become less." There is a direct correlation.

Genuine worship of God doesn’t mean adhering to rigid rituals and regulations, but understanding that part of our purpose, one of the reasons He placed us on this planet we call Earth, is to serve and be of help to others. Jesus stated it this way: “The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me'” (Luke 10:27).

When God is excluded from our considerations, when we don’t feel bothered to ask or pray about how to properly use our resources, as well as the authority we have in our respective spheres of influence, we certainly aren’t troubled by annoying questions about what He thinks. Which can “liberate” us from feelings of concern about our fellow man, woman or child.

That’s why it’s important, when we remember Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor as yourself,” to also keep in mind His prerequisite to that statement: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). If we love God with everything we are and everything we have, loving our neighbors as ourselves won’t be such a struggle. It may even become a privilege.

Letting Their Light Shine

Even though I love sports, I rarely address sporting topics in this blog. But recent comments on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” program were too intriguing to ignore.

Mike Greenberg, one of the talk show’s two Mikes, was discussing Mariano Rivera, the New York Yankees’ stellar relief pitcher who’s retiring after this season. Most baseball experts consider Rivera the greatest reliever in the sport’s history. He has nearly 700 career saves including the post-season, more than any of his peers, past or present.

But perhaps even more than for his pitching prowess, Greenberg observed, Rivera’s universally admired for “his class,” the dignity with which he “has carried himself” on and off the field.

In fact, Greenberg observed Rivera’s unquestioned respect might be unmatched in any sport. Then the radio commentator searched for comparisons, citing other players who have earned similar acclaim, not only for on-the-field excellence but also exceptional character qualities.

The light of Jesus shining through us
can build a bridge leading to Him.

In particular, he pointed to three from the NFL, all no longer playing: Anthony Munoz, a legendary offensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals; Mike Singletary, the fierce middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears; and the late Reggie White, an incomparable defensive lineman with the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers.

What Greenberg did not mention, however, either because he didn’t know or didn’t consider it relevant, is all four men – during their careers and afterward – were men of great faith, unapologetic followers of Jesus Christ.

Rivera, for example, has served as pastor of churches in metropolitan New York and his native Panama, and reportedly plans to devote his retirement to Christian and philanthropic work. I interviewed Munoz for a magazine article in 1990 while he was still playing with the Bengals, and he asserted Jesus Christ was the focal point of his life.

Singletary, who went on to coach in the NFL, wrote several books about how his career and faith intertwined. And White became so well known for his outspoken faith in Christ, as well as his defensive skills, he was accorded the nickname, “the Minister of Defense.”

This isn’t to say, of course, that people of high character all follow Christ. Nonbelievers can certainly exhibit good character, while unfortunately not all believers have character traits worth emulating. But what a statement it is that each of the four men recognized, for both their athletic excellence and highly esteemed inner qualities, are among Jesus’ ardent followers.

In Matthew 5:16 He said, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Throughout their careers, these men let the light of Christ shine through their actions.

And 1 Peter 3:15 adds, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Because of their on-field successes, along with their extraordinary character, each of these men had countless occasions to give their own answers to people that asked about what made them different.

But you don’t need to be a star athlete, or a famous person at all, to earn this privilege. In our chaotic world, when it seems every day there are too few answers and too many questions, a life set apart by the presence of Jesus Christ is bound to be noticed.

As James 3:13 states, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him shine it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”

A business person that performs work with excellence and an unwavering commitment to integrity; a teacher devoted to her students, helping them to gain a love for learning and encouraging them to discover and pursue their passions; a retail clerk eager to assist customers find exactly what they need: Each, through their actions, can reflect the character of Christ and demonstrate what it means to “regard others as more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

If sometimes you wonder, “What would Jesus do?”, then read those words again. That’s exactly what He did.