What do the letters "WWJD" mean to you? Four pieces of the alphabet? The initials of a prince or a president? No, on both counts. They identify what some have come to refer to as a "movement," if not a current fad. Of course, as fads these days do, it involves money. For $2.67 you can buy a bracelet and key ring with the initials "WWJD" on them to remind you, in times of "difficult decisions" (temptations) to ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?" Many other more costly items are available.

Worthy goal! Who could possibly find fault with such a question? Not me! I am reminded of the book, In His Steps: "What Would Jesus Do?" written by Charles M. Sheldon in 1896. It is the interesting story of a preacher and a church who were presented with the question of "What would Jesus do?" in response to the poor and destitute people of their community. The question is presented, in this book, "What does it mean to follow Jesus?" and to sing, "Where he leads me I will follow, I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way." A friend of mine gave me a copy of this book twenty years ago. It challenged him to preach the Gospel over forty-three years ago.

I have another suggestion for an appreciation of this question that will not involve the outlay of any money, except the cost of a Bible if you do not have one. Memorize Psalm 119:11, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You." The heart is the only safe place for the storing up of the Word of God. If you keep it (the Bible) merely in your home, thieves may steal it. If you keep it on your bookshelf, it will merely gather dust. If you keep it in your head, memory may fail you one day. When the Word of God abides in its fullness in the human heart, what is the result? The child of God is effectively protected against living a life of sin! John wrote, "Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9). David recognized and applied this important principle. In the same connection Paul wrote, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom..." (Colossians 3:16).

A second suggestion would be this: study Matthew 4:1-11. In this passage, one will see how that Jesus met every satanic onslaught with the force of "thus saith the Lord." No more worthy example can be found!

As important as is the question, "What would Jesus do?" I have another question: "What would Jesus have you to do?" This question, as with the previous one, can only be answered by a thorough acquaintance with the New Testament. There and only there can one learn what Jesus would do, or what Jesus would have one to do in order to be saved (John 8:24; Luke 13:1-3; Matthew 10:32; Mark 16:16).

As all fads do, the "WWJD" craze will pass from the scene, and the relics of a moneymaking scheme will soon appear in flea markets. The question, however, of "What would Jesus do?" will endure as long as the Word of God endures (1 Peter 1:24-25).