I started doing student ministry about the time that “WWJD” became one of the slogans for student ministries. We had t-shirts and bracelets that would act as a reminder for a student to act as Jesus did. That is still a good practice. What we didn’t anticipate were the misconceptions around Jesus. Jesus was thought of as a super nice guy that would never hurt anyone’s feelings. This unbiblical characterization of Jesus lead people to take on habits that were sinful and wrong. Christianity lost some of its power because people took on character traits of a false Jesus. One that they had either made up or were misinformed of.
In reality, Jesus was not always nice. He was often confrontational with the religious leaders of his time, calling them out for their hypocrisy and corrupt practices (Matthew 23:13-36). He also overturned tables in the temple and drove out those who were using it for their own selfish gain (John 2:13-17).
Jesus’ message was not always easy to hear either. He spoke about taking up one’s cross and following him, which meant giving up everything for the sake of the Gospel (Matthew 16:24-26). He warned against false teachers and told his followers that they would be persecuted for their faith (Matthew 7:15-20; John 15:18-21).
So why does it matter that Jesus wasn’t always nice? For one thing, it reminds us that being a follower of Christ isn’t just about being agreeable all the time. There are times when we must stand up for what is right and speak truth even when it’s hard or unpopular. It also reminds us that Jesus came to challenge the status quo – he didn’t come to make us feel comfortable or complacent.
Furthermore, recognizing that Jesus wasn’t always nice helps us better understand his love for humanity. His confrontational behavior towards the Pharisees showed how much he cared about people living according to God’s will instead of their own selfish desires. His willingness to speak difficult truths demonstrated how much he loved people enough to tell them what they needed to hear rather than what they wanted to hear.
So, if you still have one of those “WWJD” bracelets put it back on. When you do also put on the characteristics of the real Jesus. Be a person of biblical conviction who will stand up for what is right, who will call out sin and who will not settle for dead practices that don’t produce spiritual fruit.
Keith Savage 