Many of us have seen the “WWJD?” bracelets, stickers, t-shirts, etc. Most of us know by now what it stands for, but if you don’t, it stands for “What Would Jesus Do?” Many Christians like these items because they remind them to try to act, not as their sinful desires would have them do, but as Jesus would’ve done.

Given how some Christians act, you have to wonder, what would Jesus REALLY do if he were in that same situation?

Often we see a story with a headline that goes something like this: “Christian bakery refuses to bake wedding cake for gay couple.” Is this what Jesus would do in the same situation?

I don’t think so. In fact, I think Jesus would bake the cake for them. He’d probably invite them in for a chat and maybe even dinner. Of course, the Gospels give us plenty of examples of Jesus interacting with, and even performing services for, all manner of people considered sinners.

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” (Luke 15:1-2). Luke writes of several instances where Jesus is called out for eating and drinking with sinners. In Luke 7:36-50, Jesus even lets a sinner touch him! And in Luke 19:1-10, Jesus is a guest in a sinner’s house! Clearly Jesus had no problem associating with sinners.

What about the services Jesus performed for sinners? Jesus healed lepers, the blind, and the lame. How do we know these people were sinners? To paraphrase Deuteronomy 28, if you follow God’s laws (i.e., you are holy), then you will be blessed on the Earth; if you do not follow God’s laws (i.e., you are sinful), then you will be cursed on the Earth. In particular, Deuteronomy 28:21-22: “The LORD will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish.” And Deuteronomy 28:27-28: “The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured. The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind.” So the Jews believed that if a man had leprosy, was blind, or was lame, that he must be among the worst of sinners because God afflicted him so.

And yet, not only did Jesus converse, eat, and drink with them, but he also healed them. He performed a service for them. He was made to be seen in their presence and to be doing something for them.

In that light, what do I think Jesus would really do? I think he would not only bake the cake, but he would also show up to the wedding (if invited) and maybe turn the water into wine.