Decisions, Decisions...

I first heard about the WWJD (what would Jesus do) bracelets while spending a week at a Christian summer camp before 7th grade.  They really took off in the 90’s and were designed to make people think about the choices they made.  After I left the camp, I threw the bracelet away; abandoning my moral compass in order to obtain popularity.  Looking back, I realize that part of the reason I failed to see any significance in the bracelets was because I had such a narrow view of them.

At that age, I believed the bracelets were intended to prevent me from sinning by making me remember my moral code.  It wasn’t a lack of knowledge that caused me to sin, though, it was a desire to be accepted, and the bracelets didn’t help me feel accepted.

Could I have avoided some of those failures by asking the question WWJD?  Yes, but only temporarily.  The bible mentions that the knowledge of right and wrong (the law) wasn’t meant to keep us from sin, but to reveal the sin we all have in our hearts.  We can strive to have Godly behaviors, but we are still going to fail eventually because we are human.  No one is perfect; everyone has sinned in their lives.  That’s why we all need forgiveness.

So the question arises: what does this have to do with my “narrow view” of the WWJD bracelets?

Well, I’m beginning to see the significance of WWJD bracelets again, because I have new questions which can only be answered by Jesus.  Let me explain…

One of the things I’ve noticed is the prevalence of opinions in our society.  People spend countless hours researching topics in order to tell us how to live our lives.  Take the example of the decisions leading up to a potential recall election for Scott Walker.  Very smart people have been researching ideas to fix the budget, yet each side arrives at a different conclusion.

Although each party has great ideas, neither will concede because they believe their idea is best.

This puts us in a difficult spot, because how can we know what’s right if the experts can’t agree?  Who gets the final say?  As we have seen with the Walker election, no one get the final say.  We argue instead of making unified choices.

It’s times like this that I realize I’m blessed to be a Christian, because our ways are different.  

For example:

My mentor keeps mentioning that the direction of the church is determined by biblical principles. As the pastor of a church, he submits to the authority of the elders who submit to the authority of the bible.  He and the elders ask questions like, “What does the bible say about church finances?”  Or “did Jesus train people in a small group format?”

This concept of biblical based decision making is something I’ve failed to act upon, because I thought Jesus only wanted to prevent me from sinning.  I am now beginning to realize that He wants to help answer all sorts of tough questions, and I can choose to listen to the world’s experts or the true expert: the author of Truth.

God gave us His word in order to help us navigate through tough choices, and He demonstrated that He was going to lead us in the right path through His sacrifice.  It’s impossible to say that God wants to lead us into harm when He came to earth and died on a cross in order to save us from eternal death.  So my question is this:

If you know who has the truth, and you know He wants to save you from death, why would you hesitate to ask Him for help?

Don’t believe me, read it yourself:

John 3:16   “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:17   God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Jeremiah 29:11   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.

James 1:5    If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

Raising Teams

I have been fund-raising for my mission, and realized that I'm not raising funds, but raising teams.  That was one of the most amazing things I realized, because it sheds light on the Church.  Christ isn't raising funds, but raising a team of people so unified they are called His bride.  One bride, one body, one pursuit.  Some are the hands, some are eyes, some are the feet.  

I started thinking about what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12 hoping to understand and appreciate the various roles in a team.  What do the hands do, or the feet, or the eyes or ears?  In an attempt to better understand my individual purpose, I stumbled upon something greater.

I saw a picture of a bride climbing a mountain.  At various times, the climber used her hands to pull herself up the cliff.  At other times, the climber had to look for proper footholds.  At other times the ears had to listen for the encouraging call of the Groom.

Then I realized those weren't separate times, but ways the body brings us closer to Christ.

There are times in life when we climb mountains, swim oceans, or eat meals to gain strength, but regardless of the activity, we are continually, and concertedly pursuing Christ.

The times we climb the mountain, we are using both our hands and our feet to pull ourselves up the cliff.  But if we take our eyes off of Christ to look for a foothold, we need to be sure that our ears are listening to His call.

When we are swimming oceans, we are using our hands and feet to propel us towards shore.  Our eyes are fixed on Christ and our ears are listening to crashing of the waves.  But if we find ourselves sinking into the water, Jesus will grab our hand and pull us out.

So rejoice in your role on Christ's team, because sometimes it's your role that brings us closer to the Prize.

Please email me if you want to be apart of the ministry team at Elmbrook Men.  I'll be interning there this year, and need help from supporters of all kinds.  Can you donate time or money?  How about encouragement, or creative ideas.  Sometimes I need correction and accountability.  

joshua.wheeler03@gmail.com

A Humbling Experience

In my last blog, I mentioned that I refused to worship power and money like the sales manager expected me to.  By standing my ground, I grew stronger in my faith, and more capable of seeing the supreme value of Christ compared to everything else.  There was more to this experience than just personal benefit though.

There was a surge of power rising through my veins after I stood my moral ground that day.  I saw the foolishness of my boss's perspective, and didn't want to participate in it.  My muscles became tense, and I envisioned myself stomping the ground and telling my boss I can't work with such heathens.  "I'm the adopted son of Father God; the brother to the King, I deserve better...."  But right before I was about to carry out my plan, I felt a voice prompting me to stay.  

Although I stayed, I really complained a lot to God.  You know, the "woe is me" type of complaining.  The first month was emotionally and mentally painful, but it drove me closer to God.  As I grew closer to God, I was able to find peace and contentment in where I was (a huge blessing given to Christians btw).  Eventually, I was able to quit focusing on my discomforts, and start to consider other people.  That's when I became amazed...

The people around me were changing!  One of the guys started going to church, the other started to read the Psalms to his wife, another asked me the reason for the hope I have, and both my manager and his boss allowed me to share the gospel with them!  God was opening doors, and giving me an opportunity to share His love.

But the experience that impacted me the most came during the last two weeks I was there.  One of my coworkers had a customer yell at him, and while I was thinking to myself, "HANG UP ON HIM," my boss grabbed the phone.

I immediately stopped what I was doing, and focused all my attention on the scene that was unfolding.  It was a flashback to my first week at the company: a customer on the phone yelling at me, and my boss telling me to yell back.  Would my boss repeat his actions?

With patience and humility, he said, "Sir, we didn't mean to offend you.  We are only salesmen trying to make a living.  We won't call you anymore, and have a great day."

Wow!

The person I was so quick to judge initially, became more patient and respectful than I was at that moment.  How humbling!  How amazing!  How characteristic of Christ's love!

The thing I've learned in life is that although I am an adopted son of Father God and I am a brother to the King of Kings, His free gift is not for my glory, fame, power, or wealth.  It's for my neighbor's.  I've been blessed to bless others.  Philippians 2 summarizes my role:  

 ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 ⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!

I praise Jesus for His willingness to do what I am unable to on my own.