One of the most inappropriate things Christians sometimes ask when they find themselves in a quandary or moral predicament is “what would Jesus do?” Then they try to scan the scriptures for stories which demonstrate how Jesus would act in a situation like the one they were facing. While Jesus commands us to be meek and humble, and while he gave Himself up for crucifixion on the Cross of Calvary, Jesus wasn’t always gentle. There was this one story in particular where Jesus upturned tables and drove out the money changers at the synagogues because they were turning His father’s house into a “den of thieves.”
I remember one person, perhaps unwittingly, making such a comment on Facebook, “remember Jesus upturned tables and drove out money changers.” Some people use this story to make a point that Jesus “wasn’t a pacifist.”
Jesus indeed taught meekness and humility through His life, words, and actions, but as humans, it is highly inappropriate for us to ask, “What would Jesus do?” The correct thing to ask is “what does Jesus command us to do?” You see, as humans, we do not have the divine prerogative that Jesus has. Jesus can do whatever He pleases because He is the Son of God, and all power is given to Him in both heaven and earth, and throughout the entire universe. He can bless, heal, and execute judgement. As humans, our role is to be obey His teachings. Yes, Jesus did upturn tables, but that doesn’t give us an excuse to act violently.
We must remember that we are followers or Christ, not Christ, and it is very important as Christians to understand our place and role in God’s design.
