What Would Jesus Do?

(See Matthew 5: 48, 1 John 3: 2, Ephesians 4: 11-13, 3 Nephi 27: 27, Moroni 7: 48, 10: 32)

The man was facing a test of his character.

He had recently been wronged by his next-door neighbor.

He reluctantly wanted to do what was right.

But deep inside he also wanted to put up a fight.

His weapons of rebellion were drawn and on display,

but the core of his religion kept getting in the way.

His pride would have to be swallowed or stomped into the ground.

He had to find fresh courage, if only it could be found.

He offered a silent prayer,

knowing that God would hear.

He prayed for help to be strong and true

and thought of the scripture: “do unto others as you would have done unto you”

As he thought on the situation, a few messages came through:

The first one was: “What would Jesus do?”

Then the words of a primary song drifted through his mind -

the one about loving his neighbor and being gentle and kind:

“I’m trying to be like Jesus, in everything I do and say.

I’m trying to be like Jesus, and following in His ways.” (Children’s hymns, page 78)

“Dang it”, he muttered as he made his decision.

"I can do hard things", he said with conviction.

If he could not forgive “seventy times seven”,

there would be no way to make it to heaven.

Heaven smiled down on this man as he not only forgave

but felt a love for his neighbor as he chose to behave.

He thought of Jesus as he was mocked and beaten

and yet was as meek and gentle as a newborn kitten.

As we strive to be like God and His Son,

we may catch a glimpse of their vision of what we can become.

September 2025

“The only measure of true greatness is how close a {person} can become like Jesus. That {person} is greatest who is most like Christ, and those who love Him most will be most like Him” – Ezra Taft Benson