WWJB – What Would Jesus Buy
If you put every product through the filter of Matthew 6, it would be interesting to see how many products Jesus would buy!
Reference: v.25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? (NIV Bible)
Explore: Weight loss programs, ab curlers, tanning lotions, wonder bras, thigh crunchers, whitening creams… The list goes on of programs and products that are created to make us better.
None of these things are evil, it’s just that they focus on improving the outside of our bodies rather than who we really are.
It’s interesting to actually watch TV advertising. For every product the company is trying to tell you that you will be a better person if you buy what they have to offer. And yet, if you put every product through the filter of Matthew 6, it would be interesting to see how many products Jesus would buy!
Application: When it comes to improving our lives we will often look to the products listed above. We are persuaded that we’ll feel better, look better, and be more desirable if we become more like the people on the TV.
This is one of the areas where God’s culture goes against our current culture. Way back in the Old Testament God says that while people look at the outside of the person, He looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16.7).
Thousands of years later, when Jesus walked on the earth, He had not changed His mind. Jesus informed a crowd of people to not concern themselves with their outward appearance.
And yet, with that clear message, we are still spending literally billions of dollars every year on weight loss and clothing.
I’m not saying that being healthy or feeling good is wrong, but our perspective can get way out of whack if we only listen to the message of our world.
Prayer: Lord, you have so much more in store for us than just looking good on the outside. May we look to improve ourselves on the inside so that we can live the life that you desire us to have. Amen.
What can you do this week to improve your inside, rather than just your outward appearance?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.