August 22, 2018
M Eporter
PASTOR'S CORNER by Chaplain Rodney O. Catlahan, D.Min
/
Some of us remember bumper stick- WWJD?
ers and bracelets with WIVJD on These were tough rekl life situations.
them. The first time I saw these After each one of them the question was
initials I asked the person what asked, "What Would Jesus Do?' Maybe,
it meant. She said, "It stands for 'What
Would Jesus Do?" Later I learned the his-
tory behind it all.
One Christmas my parents gave me a
book, "In His Steps: What Would Jesus
Do?" As I did research for this article I
learned that the book was written
by an evangelical Christian writer,
Charles M. Sheldon. His 1896
novel became the catalyst for the
1990's WIVJD movement. His
book has been printed in several
languages and sold over 30 mil-
lion copies. However, the author
never benefited from the sales.
In Sheldon's novel, Rev. Henry
Maxwell, pastor of First Church
Raymond, possibly located in the
eastern U.S gave his church mem-
bers a challenge. He suggested that
they try not to do anything for a
whole year without first asking:
"What Would Jesus Do?"
CHAPLAIN
RODIIY O.
CAU.AHA
D.MIN
The novel developed around a cast of
characters in various life situations. Their
lives were transformed when they accepted
this challenge.
Today; consider how our life could be
affected ffwe asked the question, WWJD,
before all the moral decisions we made on
a daffy basis.
Let us look at some real life situations.
We are driving to town and some kid pulls
out in front of us. What is our first reac-
tion? Some of us might blow our horn and
think about unprintable words. WW D?
In the grocery store, an older person with
arms full of groceries comes up behind us.
W~/JD?
At the local burger joint, people with a
different ethnicity look at us with an ugly
expression. WWJD?
We are sitting in church. The preacher
takes a text from St. Paul's letter which
condemns sexual sin. Our current lifestyle
is contrary to the biblical truth on this
subject! WWJD?
It is tax time. As we are filling out our tax
forms and we are tempted to claim more
deductions than we are legally entitledto:
WWJD?
A friend says something that really
hurts our feelings. Do we nurse those hurt
feelings and plot a way to get revenge?
another way of looking at all of this is to
ask: "What Did Jesus Do?" (A new acros-
tic, WDJD?)
"what Did Jesus Do?'(WDJD?) In The
Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 6, & 7,
Jesus gave principles which can be applied
to all of these exampleS.
In the first situation there was
the kid driver. For a moment
we are angry and are tempted
to think bad thoughts. WDJD?
He said, "Blessed are the pure in
heart"
Next, you are in the grocery line
when an elderly person comes up
with arms filled with groceries.
WDJD? Jesus said, "Blessed are
the merciful for they shall obtain
mercy"
Now, you are in the burger joint
facing ethnic prejudice. WDJD?
Jesus said, "Love your enemies."
Then, imagine you are in church. The
preacher is preaching against sinful sexual
lifestyles. WDJD. Jesus gave two good
examples. There was the woman at Jacob's
well and the woman caught in adultery. He
confronted both women with their sinful
behavior. He told the last woman to "go
and sin no more." No doubt they experi-
enced Jesus' love and forgiveness. That's
what Jesus did!
On the issue of taxes, Jesus said, "Render
unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God
what belongs to God."
Finally; your feelings were hurt deeply by
something your friend said. WI)JD? See
The Lord's Prayer in Matthew. "Forgive
us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us:' You will need Christ's
help to do this!
I leave you with two challenges: "What
Would Jesus Do?" WWJD? and "what
Did Jesus Do?" WDJD?
Col. Rodney Callahan is a retired
military and prison chaplain who has
also served as a hospice chaplain and in
numerous other capacities. The Pastor's
Corneris sponsored by the Monroe County
Ministerial Association, which meets on the
second Thursday of each month at 8 a.m. at
The Pickled Okra, 33 W Johnston St. on the
Square.
Georgia's 8th District
Congressman Austin Scott
was the guest speaker at the
Aug. 14 meeting of Viet-
nam Veterans of America
Middle Georgia Chapter
946 at the Rock Springs
Church campus in Forsyth.
Scott arrived about a half
hour early to talk with the
Vietnam veterans individu-
ally and accepted questions
from the group of about
45 in attendance after he
finished speaking.
Claude Curlee, one of
the organizers and officers
of Chapter 946, said that
Scott responded graciously
to an invitation to speak
and provided interesting
information. He talked
about current legislation
of interest to the veterans,
including the military
budget, which includes the
first raise for members of
the military in years. He
talked about services for
veterans and gave contact
information to help with
obtaining services through
the Department of Veter-
ans Affairs.
Scott told the Vietnam
Veterans about a trip he
recently made to Vietnam
with other congressmen.
His impression was that
Vietnam's economy is
booming. He saw a lot of
new buildings, and the
Vietnamese government
asked that the U.S. bring
ships back in for trade.
Scott said it was unlike any
other Communist country
he has visited. He said it
seems to have pulled itself
back up from the devasta-
tion of war.
Curlee said that Scott
wore a shirt given to him
by the U.S. Marine Corps
detachment at the Hanoi
Embassy. He appreciated
Scott's interest in the Viet-
nam Veterans as shown by
his choosing to wear the
shirt to the meeting, and he
especially appreciated the
U.S. Marine Corps insignia
on the shirt since he is a
Marine.
Scott talked about re-
building the U.S. military,
reform at the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs
and economic growth in
the 8th district. He has a
special interest in military
Johnny Ptak and Mike Kuhr present a VVA Chapter 946 shirt to U.S. Rep. Austin Scott,
right, on Aug. 14.
affairs because of the num- ates the church letting the meeting, good for us, good
ber of military bases in and Vietnam Veterans meet at for him and good for the
near his district, especially the facility regularly and community;' said Curlee.
Robins Air Force Base. making the group feel.Chapter 946 officers Mike
Chip Garrison, pastor at that it has a home there. Kuhr and Johnny Ptak
the Rock Springs Forsyth Chapter 946 serves a large presented Scott a shirt with
campus, welcomed Scott area of Middle Georgia and the chapter's insignia in ap-
to the meeting. Curlee said is growing, preciafion for his speaking
that Chapter 946 appreci- 'gdl in all, it was a good to the group.
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