A popular craft item used by churches for many years is the WWJD keychain, bracelet or necklace. It is often made with a thin strip of leather and four beads lettered W, W, J, and D. The instructions are simple: Slip a “W” bead onto the leather a little past mid-way and tie a knot on both sides of the bead to keep it in place. The next three beads are added in W-J-D order and secured by knots same as the first bead. Tie the bracelet, lock the clasp, or add some keys and the item is complete. No matter the style, the intent of the WWJD item was to remind us to pause and think “What Would Jesus Do” in any given situation.

I was Minister of Christian Education at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Huntsville, Alabama for seven years, and never once used a WWJD craft or devotion. I prefer to think of WWJD as “We’re Why Jesus Died” rather than “What Would Jesus Do?” Was Jesus a man that lived a perfect life in an imperfect world? Absolutely, but many major religions of the world teach about their prophets in much the same way with Buddha, Mohammed, Gandhi, etc. Does copying Jesus’ life bring about my salvation? After all, what’s so different about my Jesus?

In my humble opinion, I think we need to focus more on the purpose for which Jesus was sent here in the first place. Since the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve freely chose to step outside of God’s perfect plan for mankind, sin has separated us from the type relationship God planned with us. God loved us, His creation that was made in His own image, so much that He formed the perfect plan by sending Jesus, His Son, to form a bridge over the great divide of sin. This bridge (Jesus) once again opened a way for us to be in eternal relationship with God. Jesus followed God’s will in that He took our sins (yours, mine – past, present, future) on Himself and therefore became separated from His Father. With the weight of our sins, He died on the cross after saying, “Father, Father, why have you forsaken me?” But the story doesn’t end there. Jesus defeated death and sin by rising from the dead after three days, and through Him we can also defeat death and sin. And, when Jesus ascended back into the heavens to sit at the right hand of God the Father, we were given the Holy Spirit to daily direct, encourage, and comfort us in God’s plan for our life in Jesus.

So, the next time WWJD flashes at us from a necklace or bumper sticker, let’s not just think “What Would Jesus Do?” and go about our business. Let’s ponder “We’re Why Jesus Died” and share the salvation story with others – maybe as close as our family and friends. John 3:16-18 (New American Standard): "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Author: Sandy McCutcheon