My husband finally told me that he got stopped by the MP (military police) on post the other day. Being in the military as long as he has, typically he doesn’t break the law, especially on post. He doesn’t speed. He usually comes to a complete stop. He doesn’t make illegal turns. I just couldn’t imagine what they could have stopped him for. I’m sitting there in anticipation as he runs down the details of where he was. He gives very explicit, detailed explanations, it took a minute, but finally he got to it; he was stopped for playing gospel music too loud. lol. I was just floored! In my many years, I have never seen a car get pulled over, with the flashing lights and sirens, for playing loud music! And gospel to boot!

I know it happens; I have just never been witness to it. I guess my shock was because it was gospel. When they stopped him, he was bouncing around and as he called it, “getting his praise on”. I wonder if their real concern was not how loud the music was playing but how rowdy he appeared while driving. He probably did look a little crazy. But it was gospel music! Music that is spreading the good news! Truthfully, there are times when getting my praise on in the car and bouncing around like I ain’t got a lick of sense, is the difference between my sanity and breaking down in tears! Sometimes I just need that time to change the course of my day and my mind-set. So it just makes me wonder, how could he possibly get stopped for playing Kirk Franklin’s Hero?

I stopped and thought about it. I guess loud music is loud music. It can be distracting and annoying regardless of the genre. This is one of those things that made me really think. Maybe deep down, I thought he should be entitled because of the type of music it was. This is one of those things where we as Christians, well let me speak for me, I sometime get on my high horse and think I will receive special treatment because I am living a life “better than the average person”. Not so and how dare I think so! My husband got pulled over for loud, Christian, gospel, foot stomping, church music as if it were hard rock, profanity filled rap, heavy metal, etc.! At 51 years old, he was no better than the energy filled teen, driving down the street with the bass so loud; you can feel it beating in your chest. At that moment he was just another violator! lol. My husband a lightweight, short-lived criminal!

I guess there is no real point to my story except: apparently the police either have nothing better to do than to stop someone just because, or they are very diligent in keeping the noise pollution down, even if I don’t consider it pollution! Loud music is just that, loud music!

What do you think about getting pulled over for playing gospel music? Holla back but not too loud…

The phrase “What would Jesus do?” (often abbreviated to WWJD) became popular in the United States in the 1890s, and again in 1990s, as a personal motto for thousands of Christians who used the phrase as a reminder of their belief that Jesus is the example to be followed in daily life, and to act in a manner of which Jesus would approve.

Is that true for you and me?  You do claim to be a Christian don’t you?  You do want Christ to be pleased with your actions, reactions, deeds, etc. don’t you?  Let’s see if we can’t make Him just as proud of us, as we are of Him!

Let’s take one week and change our thinking.  Let’s take one week and try as Christians to get in the mind of Christ.  We have read the scriptures and heard the sermons; we know the difference between our actions and those of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Aren’t we as “Christ”ians supposedly striving to be Christ-like?  Aren’t we taking the Christ in Christianity and trying to identify with it and be like Him?  Well let’s do it together and then let’s talk about the change it made in our lives spiritually and naturally.  Stopping and asking What Would Jesus Do before everything we do, will certainly have an impact on EVERYTHING concerning our lives.  If we can promote Pay It Forward challenges, and weight lost challenges, and all kinds of reality challenges, let’s doubly promote this challenge!   It is the: 7daybuzz.com WWJD 7 Day Challenge!

Tell everybody you know what you are doing and invite them to join in the 7daybuzz.com WWJD challenge!  This challenge won’t cost you.  This challenge won’t hurt you. (well maybe your pride if you have to turn the other cheek or something flesh defying)  I can truthfully say, if done properly, the only thing this challenge can do and will do is make you more conscious of who you are and Whose you are.  This might be just the thing you need and I need to expose us to us!  We really don’t know who we are.  Fact:  we never see ourselves the same way others see us!  Maybe living this lifestyle for a week (hopefully it will be one we will choose to adopt forever) will close the gap between who we think we are, and who we really are.  So starting today, let’s do this!

Hopefully you have prayed for the last week and have programmed your mind to begin questioning yourself and asking, What Would Jesus Do?  Now let’s put it into action. 

Next Sunday I anxiously look forward to hearing the stories and life changing experiences the WWJD challenge brought about.  I think we will surprise ourselves, each and every one of us, when we realize how far we were from true Christ like actions and our own fleshly actions.  Don’t make this a burden but make it a joyful occasion for a renewal within your spirit.  There will be times when you/I fail.  WE will think about WWJD and then do the opposite because our flesh is geared toward self satisfaction.  Okay.  Get up.  Brush off, but don’t stop!  Get back on the horse and continue with the challenge.  If at first you don’t succeed, keep trying!  That’s what Jesus would do, right? 

Just remember, before you do it, ask yourself WWJD?  Before you say it, ask yourself WWJD?  Before you think it, ask yourself WWJD?  We’ll talk soon!