What Would Jesus Do?

Another Sunday has come, and I had the opportunity, once again, to partake of the Sacrament and "renew my covenants."  These would be the covenants I made when I entered the waters of baptism.  What, exactly, did I covenant to do when I was baptized?s

I said that I would mourn with those that mourn.  I would comfort those that stand in need of comfort.  That I would take upon myself the name of Jesus Christ.  That means I am willing to act as Jesus would act.  That since he is not physically here, right now, that I will act as he would act, in any given situation.

Well, how do I know how he would act? One lesson at church today focused on our Savior, Jesus Christ.  There is a saying that has come to be a little cliche, since you can find it on bumper stickers and t-shirts.  "WWJD?" is short for "What Would Jesus Do?"

If we take away the "cliche-ness" of the phrase, we can honestly ask ourselves if we actually know.  What WOULD Jesus do?  To find this out, I must consider the stories of his life and ministry, recorded in the Holy Scriptures.  Mostly in the New Testament.

Jesus acted in love. Always in love. He used caring, understanding words and actions, and showed people respect no matter who they were or what they had done.  He did not condone sins, but he loved the individuals and showed them there was always hope.  Hope for repentance, hope for forgiveness, hope for a brighter tomorrow.  When others were downtrodden and felt like their world was crumbling, Jesus offered a listening ear, and sorrowed with people. He gave all glory to our Heavenly Father and worked to bring people closer to him.

So when I take my own day, in January of 2014, and go about the daily tasks that need to happen, I should ask myself, "What Would Jesus Do?"  When Jesus was late for an appointment, and someone like my daughter asked him a question, he most likely would not snap at her and say "I don't have time for this."  He probably would look at her directly, and listen.  I suppose if he really needed to go, He would excuse himself with a loving promise to get back to her with an answer at a specific time in the near future.

Jesus did not drive in the first century A.D.  But if He were driving a car in January of 2014, and another driver pulled in front of him and made him slam on the brakes to avoid an accident, I think He would not lay on the horn for a full 15 seconds.  Maybe he would tap the horn, and pray that the other driver would stay alert and be aware of other cars he might encounter.

If I am consciously looking to act as I believe Jesus might act in this January of 2014, maybe I can also be aware of promptings that come to me from the Holy Ghost. I think that Jesus would act quickly when prompted to do something for somebody else.

What would Jesus do?  In a broad sense, I think I know.  But the more I study his life and ministry, the more I can steer my own actions to be like His.

New Year, Finding Direction

I have not posted on this blog for quite some time.  I was trying to figure out the purpose, or put some meaning behind it.  The very title of the blog, "To Live Deliberately," implies thought and careful consideration.  Not haphazard flailing. Not frivolity.  Thought. Deliberation. Meaning. Purpose.

I would like to join another blogger on her journey this year.  I follow the blog Daily Closer to Christ, and Emily is exploring this year how to listen to and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  How to hear those things the Lord would have you hear. How to act when you feel inspired to do something. How to be of service to someone else when maybe you alone can help them in a specific way.

So this week's lesson talks about getting out of your comfort zone. If we are never uncomfortable, then we have no need of the Comforter.  So doing something for someone else, that is perhaps outside of your comfort zone, can be a good thing.

I have been tutoring for 5 years at the same schools. I like the children, and many of the teachers. But I have been wondering if I should try to change jobs, just to shake things up some.  I'll admit sometimes I let myself get a little bored. What I keep coming back to is, I have the perfect job. Part-time, close to home, it's just right for my current life stage. So maybe the "shaking things up" part can be me, opening up and looking around at the good people around me. How can my interaction with them make their lives better? How can I be a good influence and share a little more of myself with them? Then I can be more available to reach out when there is a need.

This week's lesson/reminder in Daily Closer to Christ is about listening to the Holy Spirit when he speaks to you. "Never Postpone a Prompting." You can be of service to someone. Now.

Since my neighbor's Christmas party (a month ago), I have been thinking of a story I wanted to send along to a few of the friends there. Nothing even spiritual or earth-shattering. Just light. But I've put it off. Today, I sent the story. I got a response from one neighbor who said "this reminded me that your daughter came up in a conversation with so-and-so..." and she asked if my daughter would be interested in babysitting for this other lady.

This was not life-changing or profound. But it does remind me that sometimes we may be inspired to do something and that something will make a connection for someone in a way we would never have thought of. It may seem completely unrelated. But the connection can be made.

The Lord knows the Big Picture. We can never see it: we have blinders on, just naturally. So we must rely on Him to lead us to the people we need to influence or interact with. Or maybe he leads other people to us.