June 16, 2014
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…” 1 Peter 2:21 (NASB)
It is funny some of the details of days which I remember, and some details which I have forgotten… The moments we vividly recall are usually attached to events which are sometimes inexplicably momentous in our lives…
On October 25, 1999, I was teaching a eleventh and twelfth grade Bible class at the Christian school where our two children attended, and our son Adam, a senior, was sitting in a desk in front of where I stood to teach the class. I received a phone call as the period was beginning and because my husband, Bill, was traveling, flying that day, I answered the call during the class. I remember the words spoken from the other end of the call… “There is a potential problem in the air with a plane…” Immediately my heart began to pound…but the voice continued, “Payne Stewart’s plane is apparently in trouble…there seems to be no pilot activity and the plane is off course…F 16’s are surrounding the plane and it appears that there was a pressurization problem (assumed because of the frost and condensation which the military pilots observed on the windshield)…the plane will likely crash…it is also likely that the pilots and the passengers are unconscious, if not deceased.”
I was stunned as I stood before a full room of students. I felt compelled to pray with them after sharing this tragic news, knowing that many lives were being affected at this very moment by these bizarre and unbelievable events. We asked God for a miracle…if He willed it…and we asked God for His comfort and for His provision for all involved.
Some would wonder why this event would have such an impact on me, on my family….The native Texan, Payne Stewart, who gripped the sport of golf had had a great impact on our family as we were familiar with his career, with his charisma, with his drama at times, with his partnership and relationship in his marriage, with his commitment to his family and his children, and more importantly, with the transformation which had occurred in his life. Adam was a junior golfer, high school state champion, and would be attending college on a golf scholarship. Our son was watching the life of this athlete, this husband, this father, this man…Payne Stewart.
Payne Stewart was a dynamic, charismatic, professional golfer who had just four months before, on Father’s Day 1999, claimed the US Open victory at Pinehurst Golf Course in a dramatic win! America and golf fans all over the world sat spell-bound as they watched the final holes of the tournament. We watched the dramatic win. We watched the celebration of the victory moment as fans applauded his win, and we watched the compassion and the humility as the winner walked over to his opponent, Phil Mickelson, who was hours away from becoming a father for the first time. Payne embraced the face of the expectant father with his hands and spoke words of encouragement, “You will be a great father…your time is coming.”
What was so amazing about this story was the evidence of the changed man…the man who lived with a passion unlike many of his contemporaries…outspoken, spontaneous, and confident, but tremendously changed… tremendously transformed. Through a series of events and influences…Payne in recent months had realized that fame and fortune did not bring him fulfillment and he returned to the roots of his upbringing and began to immerse himself in God’s Word. His wife shared that, “The Scriptures themselves were the most powerful influence in Payne’s life.”
He began to share with others the difference that his faith was making in his life. His son suggested that he should wear a WWJD, ‘What would Jesus Do’ bracelet, as a testimony of his faith and of the difference that God had made in his life…And Payne Stewart began to wear the bracelet…He wore it at golf tournaments…He wore it at the US Open which he won in 1999…and he was wearing it on the fatal flight. Although the Learjet was completely destroyed by the impact of the crash, the bracelet was one of the few items recovered from the crash…completely intact. “What Would Jesus do?”
The memorial service for this great athlete, husband, and father was broadcast live over the world, and each of the three thousand attendees received a WWJD bracelet…as they listened to testimonies about the changed life of their friend who left this world so soon…And who had a huge impact on people in his life as he passionately lived…and then, as his life ended on that fall day, his death gave influence to all those who mourned the loss by pointing the way to the HOPE of JESUS and the PEACE that he had found and that had changed his heart… “Only God can do that because only God can change a heart…” (Paul Azinger, Oct. 99)
What Would Jesus do?
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15 (NIV)
This question has been asked for centuries…since the first coming of our Lord, Yeshua Christ…
Recently our Lake Hills Austin Bible Study completed a study of 1 Peter; as we examined the transformed life of Peter, each one of us was inspired by the study of the Spirit inspired words of this changed man. Each one of us could identify with the brokenness and the failures of the apostle. I could identify with the denials, with the cowardly responses, with the prideful ‘self-confidence’…
And although we have read many times the accounts of our Savior, Yeshua Christ, once again we were deeply stirred by His humility…His lowliness and opinion of Himself…as He voluntarily sacrificed His earthly moments, His Life, for each one of us…for you, for me.
We studied Peter’s experiences with the Lord, his shortcomings, his denials, his complete failures, his brokenness…We studied his restoration, his redemption and through his own eyes and through the Spirit-inspired words, we studied the miraculous change in his condition, his nature, his heart, his purpose, his spirit…his life.
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…” 1 Peter 2:21 (NASB)
And Peter wrote to the “pilgrims of the Dispersion”, and certainly to all believers-Jews and Gentiles-to each one of us as, to every believer, words to encourage, to empower, to inspire, to instruct, to propel, to prepare, to teach, to transform through the leading of the Spirit…through the Power of the Almighty God…through the Grace of Yeshua Christ…transformation, and he challenged his readers to follow in the steps of Jesus.
Following our study, some of the participants joined me in reading Charles M. Sheldon’s Christian classic, In His Steps, first published in 1897. And, decades ago with the writing of this literary masterpiece, the question has reverberated a century later to generations of readers, “What Would Jesus Do?”
“What I am going to propose now is something which ought not to appear unusual or at all impossible of execution…I want volunteers from the first Church who will pledge themselves, earnestly and honestly for an entire year, not to do anything without first asking the question, ‘What would Jesus do?’ And after asking that question, each one will follow Jesus as exactly as he knows how, no matter what the result may be.” Charles M. Sheldon-In His Steps, Chapter 1
This proposal in the first chapter of the book is made by Rev. Henry Maxwell to his well-to-do, affluent, congregation on a Sunday morning following a series of tragic events and the consequent death of a marginalized man, desperate for the necessities for existence.
And from the influence of this passionate novel, based on 1 Peter 2:21, the WWJD movement resurfaced to personify itself through the WWJD acronym and the accompanying bracelets and other merchandise which became popular in the 1990’s. Youth groups across America challenged their members to “live and behave in a manner which demonstrated the love and the life of Jesus within their circles of influence…” Living out the moral and spiritual imperative to follow in the steps of Jesus.
On the day in October of 1999, one hundred and two years after the publication of In His Steps, I stood before my students, many of them wearing a WWJD bracelet, some, conscious of what they were embracing through their participation….
The question which pervaded this movement… “Were lives being changed and transformed…Were children, teen-agers, college students, mother, fathers, pastors, as they wore the bracelet or the t-shirt, demonstrating the love, the compassion, the truth of the Word, the Living Word of God…Jesus Christ…no matter what it would cost them?”
And when the phone call came into my classroom in October 1999, we were aware of the changed man whose life was in peril…the man who wore the WWJD bracelet because he was changed, transformed…and he wanted the world to know that Jesus had changed his life…
The Challenge…
As I sit and write this afternoon, I find myself thinking about these events, etched in my memory; today is Father’s Day…And once again, men and women, boys and girls, are glued to the television screen or the computer, or phone apps, viewing the US Open, as it has its finale on Father’s Day. Although the memory of the great golfer, husband, father, has been honored during the tournament, and we have remembered the dramatic moments…my thoughts have turned to this Father’s Day, 2014 and the celebration of lives in my immediate family, our church family, and our friends…
What Would Jesus do? After pondering this question in relation to my own life…I found myself viewing the men in my life through this very intense and powerful lense or filter as well…
As a young wife, years ago, I can remember being so immersed in the busy life of a “stay-at-home” mom. I remember the never-ending demands, the endless challenges, as well as the tremendous fulfillment and joy when I would stop long enough to appreciate my life. I also remember that I was guilty of grumbling and complaining…not always…but far too often, complaining and whining because my husband was traveling, or working a lot, or not attending church with us…( And the truth was that he was traveling to make a living, he was working to make a living for me and for our children, and he was attending Racers for Christ church services at the race track when he was away from us )But, I know that this is a very common occurrence in the lives of young couples, that tired moms just need to vent…and often blame the unsuspecting husband/father…especially in groups of other tired mommies. The conversation can be hijacked quickly. I remember being guilty of participating in some of these conversations. And honestly, it did no one any good…it was not edifying to anyone, not to husbands, not to wives, and especially not to God.
These conversations…consisting of grumbling and complaining can occur on any level…Children grumble about parents…parents about children…husbands about wives…wives about husbands…friends about friends…(believe that is called gossip)…church members about the pastor and/or church staff… ‘What Would Jesus Do?’
Fortunately, early in our marriage, I had the opportunity to participate in a Bible study, taught by an amazing woman, who specifically and intentionally warned and taught young wives about the pitfalls and the wrongness of conversations criticizing and demeaning their husbands…using scripture to teach the Biblical principles. And this changed my life…it changed my perspective…it altered my negative thoughts and words and helped lead me toward right thinking…right speaking…toward being a blessing to my husband, speaking blessing about him, speaking honoring words, speaking respectful words…Jesus spoke words of life…of love…of truth…And we are challenged…
Yes, my life and my perspective changed…and I encourage every person…every woman who has a husband, everyone who has a friend, everyone who has a family member, everyone in a church…to guard their thoughts…to guard their words…to edify…to bless…to speak truth…to bless…to bless…
‘What Would Jesus Do?’
So often in the midst of life, sometimes in a bit of a storm, or in an intense storm, in the midst of busy-ness, in the midst of life, it is difficult to see beyond the immediate circumstances…and it is really difficult to think objectively about the people who are closest to us…especially husbands…fathers…men.
But, as I ask the powerful, piercing, intense question, ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the numerous, amazing times that the men whom I love…( husband, son, and son-in-love) have asked that question, and then have determinedly and intentionally decided to follow in the steps of our Lord, Yeshua Christ.
Bill and I will celebrate our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary next month, and he has been a father for almost thirty-two of those years. I have not stopped enough to realize and to recognize the sacrificial commitment that he has made to his family, to us for all of these years…Through the years I have been grateful and I truly have tried to love and honor him…but, today, as I answer the question of what Jesus would do, by examining choices that Bill has made through the years, actions which have reflected sacrificial love for me, for his children, and for his grand-children, I find myself more in love with this man than ever before. I love how he loves life…I love how he loves me. I love how he has covered me with his heart. I love how he loves his children, his grand-daughters, Liz, Caki, Charlee, Ginny, and his unborn grandson, Samuel. I love how he loves his friends, his employees, how he loves the men in his Bible study. I love how he loves God! Obviously our imperfections and humanness are there ( Bill and I have more flaws than most), but the victory is incredible when the love of God overcomes the humanness of our imperfections…and when we allow Yeshua Christ to live in us…and to work through us… Jesus loves!
‘What Would Jesus Do?’
I came across an article that was written about Bill several years ago. While I remember at the time when he decided to quit racing, a very spontaneous decision and his reasons for doing so…I predict that I was just too busy to allow the facts to totally resonate in my mind. In Bill’s own words,
“I was thirty-three years old when I retired. I just didn’t want to be gone from my family. I wanted to raise my family. I had two children, one of them was born the week before Indy in 1982 and the other was born in 1984 after the last race of the year and I just didn’t want to be a part-time parent. That was more important to me than the sport…I am fifty-four years old…raised a family and am lot closer to the Lord…Whatever we do in life, is all sifted through God’s hands and we live by grace and just try to do as much as we can in the time we have.” (2008)
As I read these words in print, I began to count my blessings once again for the many ways that my husband had asked the question WWJD…and he has answered and lived accordingly…This decision to quit the profession which he had chosen in high school, the profession in which he had grown, lived, made life-long friends and associates…the profession which had prospered him…the profession which had influenced him in His walk with God…this decision was an answer to the question, WWJD?
In truth, Jesus took care of the people who were given to Him by His Father…And that is exactly what my husband was doing…in his own words, he did not want to be a part-time parent…He was taking care of those whom God had given to him.
We have been blessed to watch our son, Adam, and son-in-love, Barry, as they too have made choices, following in the steps of their Savior, Jesus, as they love and care for their wives and their children. And Bill and I are so thankful for these young men, and we are so proud of the men they are and are becoming…
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23
On this day, my prayer is that as we ask ourselves the question, ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ that we are challenged on a daily basis…one moment at a time…as we live today and tomorrow…
But, that we also take time to reflect on the times when we have seen our fathers, our husbands, our brothers, our sons, our grandsons ponder the question…WWJD, then intentionally follow in the steps of Yeshua Christ.
Make a list…and as we do so, I pray that we would be moved with a deep and heart-felt sense of gratitude for the blessing of these men…for the blessing of their heart’s desire as they made choices to honor God with their lives. No, it isn’t always pretty; there can be some really messy situations… but that is why perspective is important…to be able to look at the big picture….the panorama of life….and see how God puts the pieces back together…Yes, make a list of the victories of these great choices, and be thankful…
Perhaps your list is short…perhaps it is long, but no matter its length, I challenge you to celebrate the choices of your loved ones and your friends to follow in His steps…and I challenge you to count every single blessing of the lives of your loved ones and friends…every single God-honoring choice they have made…count them one-by-one…father, husband, brother, friend, son, son-in-love, grandson…
For now, forget their mistakes…and take a moment to be thankful!
Anytime a life is lived through the power of the Living Savior, having been transformed and changed…living by the challenge of the question, WWJD, countless lives will be influenced, impacted, inspired…The Kingdom of God will be grown and spread…The Hope of Christ will be shared… We may never know the realm of influence…but our God Almighty knows…He sees…and He is pleased!
As Payne Stewart sported the WWJD bracelet and enthusiastically spoke of the Hope within Him, the Hope which was the source of his own transformation…his life and death influenced countless other lives…and every year, during the US Open week, his story is told and retold…attributing the joy and peace that he possessed to his faith in the Living Savior. He intentionally asked the question…What Would Jesus Do…as he lived…and then in his death, his life pointed the way to Heaven….
May we each live and ask the question, What Would Jesus Do? And may we be filled with deep gratitude for every person in our lives as they intentionally follow in His Steps…And we will be and will feel miraculously blessed as we count our blessings one-by-one…
Today, we honor fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, sons-in-love, grandsons…as they are in the process of becoming men whose Hope rests in the love of their Savior…I am remembering the good things…the amazing things…the choices they made to follow…in the steps of Jesus…
I pray that each one of us will wear that WWJD bracelet in our hearts…and that as we live, we will have the courage, the strength, the fortitude, to take the challenge, no matter the cost…through the power of Yeshua Christ…with our hearts overflowing with gratitude for the Loving, perfect Heavenly Father…as we join together and Follow In His Steps…
Abundant Joy,
