7/31 days of madeleine

 

“We are not perfect. Only God is perfect. And God does not ask us to be perfect; God asks us to be human. This means to know at all times that we are God’s children, never to lose our connection with our Creator. Jesus was sinless not because he didn’t do wrong things: he broke the law, picking corn, for instance, on the Sabbath. He was sinless because he was never for a moment separated from the Source.”

A Stone For a Pillow

I’ve always hated the whole WWJD thing, even though I have a bracelet. Even when I’ve been asked that in a joking, casual manner I just shrug and say “I don’t know. I’m not God.” Because Jesus often knew people’s thoughts, and he knew their hearts. My resources in that capacity are limited. I’m quick to respond based on whatever facts I can quickly infer about a person or a situation, but Jesus knows more.

So I’m not about WWJD.

Once, I went to this random church. I sat near a lady who gave me her number and suggested we get together sometime. And I called that lady! I called the stranger lady, and we got coffee at the church of Starbucks that is really the Padden Starbucks by Home Depot. But people are always talking about Jesus there. Probably because it’s right off of MegaChurch Ave, where three monstrous churches are all conveniently located on one street.

To sum up a three hour conversation, Janice talked about how all of us are a human trinity. We are mind, body and soul. Often we “mind over matter,” which is either our mind talking over our minds or our minds talking over our bodies. Today we waited to get into the Bing Lounge and all of the Portland Marathon participants were slowly walking to their cars. They were freaking heroes. I wanted to hug all of them and tell them I can’t even run a lap around the park without feeling like death is certain. I’m sure they mind over mattered.

But when we listen to the quiet whispers of soul, or spirit, that trumps everything. Jesus woke up early to go be with the Father. I try to do that a lot. I wake up and my soul says “Stephanie, go be with the Lord.” My body screams “put the covers back on!!” and my mind says “Remember that Doug Fields said you didn’t have to be a morning person to be holy.”

So guess how often I get out of bed early to be with the Lord. I have a steady track record of 0% of the time. I haven’t done that since I lived in California. If you wake up at 4:45 in the morning, losing 15 minutes of sleep and getting up at 4:30 doesn’t really do anything to you.

Back to Jesus.

Jesus, 100% of the time, yielded to the Spirit. The Holy Spirit essentially has one purpose, and that is to move us closer to God. That is done through revelation, conviction, urgency, purification.. it all gets us a little closer to God. Jesus listened to that still, small whisper 100% of the time.

That’s why he seems kind of all over the place with his responses. He knew people’s hearts and he always did what pushed him closer to the Father.

Once, someone I love very much was going through a frustrating time with someone in her life. We stood in her beautifully painted gray kitchen and she said “I need some spiritual advice. “I laughed and agreed to give it. She told me the story and said “Seriously, what would Jesus do?”

Looking over at her “Keep calm and Freak Out” print, I did my typical shrug, took a deep breath and responded the only way I know how.

“I can’t tell you what he’d do. But I can tell you what I think he’d have me do.”

WWJHMD.