Businesses desire a catchy slogan that stirs the consumer’s imagination and develops a positive image for their product. In 1988, Nike adopted the “Just Do It” slogan that established them as the source for the equipment needed to do whatever you want to do. It implied that your only limitation was yourself, so just do it.
Home Depot’s slogan “Let’s Do This” encourages homeowners to tackle their “to do lists” with Home Depot’s help. The slogan communicates Home Depot’s desire to partner with you in completing those DIY projects around the home and thereby position themselves to be your home improvement center.
A commonly cited slogan that represents the Christian mission is, Let Go and Let God. On the surface, this statement resonates with great truth. It testifies of the need to relinquish our grip on life and calls for us to yield ourselves to God. Alcoholics Anonymous uses this idea in the third of their 12-step program saying, “The effectiveness of the whole AA program will rest on how well and earnestly we have come to a decision to turn our will and our life over to God as we understand him.”
However, the danger with slogans is that by necessity they over simplify. While the phrase “Let Go and Let God” is catchy, it is also misleading. AA warns against using this to abdicate personal responsibility or duty. To say that we are letting go and letting God can imply that I am without fault and that God bears the responsibility for our choices; in doing this we walk on dangerous ground easily justifying our slothfulness.
However, similar problems arise when we apply a “Just Do It” attitude to our spiritual walks. Here the problem is the opposite; we remove God altogether and replace him with our self-will and our self-effort. Obviously, slogans will never satisfy our greatest need, but if we were looking for a slogan to live by, possibly Home Depot’s would be the best: “Let’s Do This.” Why? Because in living this way we would be walking closer to truth.
“Let’s Do This” speaks to how we are in this journey together. While the others express that life is to be lived either by our own effort or by God alone, “let’s do this” communicates that we are part of a team. This is emphasized in two ways. First, Jesus promises us that we are not alone, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:16, 18)
Secondly, living with a “Let’s Do This” attitude is a better philosophy for Christian living because there are no Lone Rangers in the Christian faith. The person that says they do not need Christian fellowship or that they are doing fine on their own, have not read their Bible. From the very beginning, we find that God has created us to be in fellowship not only with Him but with others too.
The Christian life is not to be lived as a solitary life. Genesis tells us that after God created man and found that there was no suitable companion for Adam he states, “It is not good for man to be alone.” The need is for more than a marriage companion; our need is for fellowship. “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
To grow in our faith we need both a relationship with God and others. Ecclesiastes 4:10 testifies of the perils of being alone, “But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” This truth is witnessed in AA – “Most members of Alcoholics Anonymous owe their sobriety to the fact that someone else took a special interest in them” by serving them as a sponsor.
To apply this in our life we might begin by huddling up with others and shouting, “Let’s Do This!” Let’s give God the glory, let’s encourage the saints, let’s live a life that is pleasing to Him!” Remember, God does not call us to live solitary life, but one that is lived in fellowship with Him and expressed in relationship with others. So, Let’ Do This!