It's Not 'What Would Jesus Do' — It's What Would Jesus Think

We’ve all seen the bracelet. WWJD. What would Jesus do?

It’s a good question. But Philippians 2:5 goes deeper than that.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Jesus Christ.”

Not just His actions. His mindset.

There’s a big difference. Actions can be performed on autopilot. You can do the right thing for the wrong reason. You can be generous while being resentful. You can serve while keeping score. You can act like Jesus in public and not think like Him at all.

But mindset? You can’t fake that. Mindset is what drives the action before anyone’s watching.

I was sitting with this verse and a devotional that broke it down this way: the real question isn’t what would Jesus do. It’s what would Jesus prioritize? What would He value in this moment? How would He see this person, this situation, this challenge?

Jesus’s mindset was completely different from ours. Our default is our own perspective — what affects us, what inconveniences us, what we feel we deserve. Jesus’s default was humility. Others first. Lifting people up. Not holding power over anyone. That’s not natural for us. That’s practiced.

The devotional gave a simple example that caught me off guard. At home, showing grace when you want to be petty. And I thought — I know exactly what that is. Certain people not putting things back where they found them. Not refilling what they used. And my very human response is sometimes to just... not do it either. Let them see it. Let them learn.

Which begs the question — is that trying to teach someone responsibility? Or is that just me being petty with a justification?

I think the honest answer depends on my mindset going in.

The devotional then went further and talked about what Jesus actually endured — silence in the face of being spit on, beaten, a crown of thorns, crucifixion — and how He did all of that in silence, out of love. That is the ultimate example of not keeping score. Of not proving a point. Of not needing to be right.

Here’s what humbled me most: He had ultimate power and chose not to use it. He could have called angels. He chose the stable. He chose the human life. He chose the cross. That’s what unconditional love looks like when it stops being an abstract concept and becomes a choice.

I try to be helpful. I volunteer for people. I show up. And I’ll be honest — I feel it when the same people don’t show up for me. That’s real. That hurt is real. But the mindset I’m being called to isn’t one that tracks what people owe me. It’s one that serves without the invisible invoice.

I don’t have this perfectly figured out. But I’m working on it.

The question I’ll take into this week: What would Jesus think right now?

Not what would He do. What would He think? What would He prioritize? How would He see the person in front of me?

That shift in thinking changes everything.

Peace, Love and Joy always — Infinite Faith and Favor | InfiniteFaithandFavor.com