Beyond the Bracelet: What Does "What Would Jesus Do?" Really Mean Today?
Last Sunday, I shared a quote from the insightful writer Dallas Willard that, I must confess, nearly tied my tongue in knots. It’s one of those sentences you have to read slowly, maybe even twice (and we all had a good laugh as I stumbled over myself trying to get it out), but the depth it holds is worth the effort. Willard wrote:
“I am learning from Jesus to live my life as he would live my life if he were I. I am not necessarily learning to do everything he did, but I am learning how to do everything I do in the manner that he did all that he did.” – Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy
It’s a bit of a mental workout, isn't it? But hidden in that carefully worded sentence is a profound challenge to how we often think about following Jesus.
When WWJD Became Too Simple
Many of us remember the era of the "WWJD" bracelet – "What Would Jesus Do?" It was a helpful reminder, a prompt to pause and consider our actions in light of our faith. The intention was excellent: to bring our commitment to Christ into our everyday decisions.
However, if we're honest, this powerful question often got oversimplified. We reduced the vibrant, complex life of faith into a simple formula. "What Would Jesus Do?" sometimes became a mental checklist for perceived "religious" situations:
Would Jesus pray here? (Yes)
Would Jesus forgive this person? (Yes)
Would Jesus drop some money in the offering plate? (Yes)
We tended to apply it to the neat, church-approved parts of our lives. We imagined Jesus in simple scenarios – forgiving readily (which He did, but rarely without profound implications), praying eloquently, performing miracles. But then, we often compartmentalized. We put the "Jesus stuff" in its Sunday box and tackled the messy, complicated "real life" stuff – careers, complex relationships, financial stress, technological shifts, chronic illness – largely on our own, using our own wisdom or the world's patterns.
The limitation wasn't the question itself, but the scope of our application. We inadvertently kept Jesus confined to the pages of the Gospels, dealing with leprosy, Roman occupation, and Pharisaical debates, rather than inviting Him into the driver's seat of our 21st-century lives.
The Shift: Not Just What He Did, But How He Would Live Your Life
This brings us back to Willard's tongue-twister. The core of discipleship isn't about trying to perfectly replicate the actions of a first-century Jewish teacher in ancient Israel. We aren't called to find literal lepers or tax collectors (though metaphorical ones abound!). We aren't necessarily learning to do everything Jesus did.
Instead, the deeper challenge, the true heart of following Christ, is learning to do everything we do in the manner that Jesus did all that he did. It’s about embodying His character, His priorities, His love, His wisdom, His reliance on the Father, His perspective – right here, right now, in the unique, complicated, often messy circumstances of our own lives.
It’s asking: How would Jesus live my life if He were me?
Think about the specific complexities you face today:
How would Jesus, embodying divine wisdom and love, navigate the ethical challenges and potential disruptions of Artificial Intelligence impacting your work or community?
How would Jesus respond with grace, truth, patience, and strength within the specific dynamics, history, and struggles of the marriage you find yourself in?
How would Jesus parent your children or grandchildren, with their unique personalities, challenges, and the cultural pressures they face?
How would Jesus handle the daily grind of arthritis, chronic pain, or other physical limitations, maintaining faith and hope?
How would Jesus deal with the difficult colleague, the financial uncertainty, the political division, the demands of social media?
These aren't questions with answers explicitly spelled out in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. You won't find a verse detailing Jesus' approach to social media algorithms or navigating healthcare bureaucracy. But the Bible does reveal His character, His heart, His priorities, and His relationship with the Father.
Beyond Easy Answers: The Spirit-Filled, Internalized Life
This understanding of discipleship pushes us beyond simplistic answers or platitudes. It dismantles the idea that following Jesus is just about avoiding certain sins and performing certain duties. It moves us away from simply saying, "Well, I'll pray about it," and then carrying on as before, or shrugging with, "I'm just not sure if that's God's will."
Instead, it calls us to something far more dynamic and profound: a life deeply saturated by the Holy Spirit. It requires us to truly internalize the ways of God – His revealed will in Scripture, His character demonstrated in Christ. We need to understand His heart, His intentions for humanity and creation.
And this often leads to an internal wrestling match. We start to recognize the points of conflict between:
God's kingdom purposes and our personal ambitions.
God's call to sacrificial love and our desire for comfort and self-preservation.
God's infinite wisdom and our limited understanding.
Our hopes, dreams, and timelines, and God's sovereign, often mysterious, plan.
Our frustration with our own limitations (physical, emotional, spiritual) and God's strength being made perfect in weakness.
Gethsemane Moments and Faithful Service
This deeper discipleship means we might find ourselves in more "Gethsemane moments" than we expected. Moments where, like Jesus in the garden, the path forward is difficult, costly, and requires surrendering our own will to the Father's: "Not my will, but yours be done." These are the moments where obedience isn't easy or natural, but chosen through faith and reliance on the Spirit.
But it also means we experience moments of profound connection and affirmation, times when we sense the Father's pleasure, echoing the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." These are the moments where, by His grace, our actions, motives, and attitudes begin to genuinely reflect the heart of Jesus in our specific situation.
The Rich Complexity of Real Discipleship
Following Jesus isn't a flat, easy path of blind obedience to a simple checklist. It's not about escaping the complexities of life but engaging them with Christ, through the power of His Spirit. It is a complex, rich, sometimes painful, often joyful, and always transformative experience with the living God.
It’s about allowing the character of Jesus to reshape our reactions, decisions, relationships, and inner motives, right in the middle of the real lives we find ourselves living.
So, let's move beyond the bracelet, beyond the oversimplification. Let's embrace the profound challenge of Willard's words: learning from Jesus to live our lives as He would live them if He were us. It’s a lifelong journey, undertaken not in our own strength, but in moment-by-moment dependence on the Holy Spirit, who guides us into all truth and empowers us to live as children of God.
Conclusion: Taking the Next Step on the Journey
So, how do we move from understanding this deeper view of discipleship to actually living it? Shifting from a simplistic "What Would Jesus Do?" to embodying "How Jesus would live my life if He were me" is a lifelong journey, not a quick fix. It's less about finding easy answers and more about cultivating a deeper relationship with Christ through His Spirit, allowing Him to shape us from the inside out, right in the midst of our daily realities.
This isn't just theoretical; it's intensely practical. Here are a few concrete steps you might consider taking this week to lean into this way of following Jesus:
Pause in the Mess: Identify one specific, recurring complex situation in your life right now – maybe a challenge at work, a difficult relationship dynamic, a health issue, or a parenting struggle. Instead of just reacting or pushing through, intentionally pause.
Ask the Deeper Question: In that pause, consciously ask: "How might the character, wisdom, love, and power of Jesus manifest here, now, through me? Not 'What's the quick fix?' but 'What would faithfulness look like in this specific moment, reflecting His heart?'"
Connect to Character (Not Just Rules): Reflect on a specific attribute of Jesus revealed in Scripture – His patience, His compassion, His willingness to speak truth, His reliance on the Father, His grace towards sinners. How might that specific attribute inform your response in the situation you identified?
Pray for Insight and Empowerment: Honestly confess your limitations, frustrations, or confusion to God. Ask the Holy Spirit specifically for the wisdom to see the situation from His perspective and the strength to respond in a way that honors Him, even if it feels unnatural or difficult.
Discuss with Trusted Community: Share your struggle and your attempts to discern Jesus' way forward with a trusted Christian friend, mentor, or small group. Processing these complex realities in community often brings clarity and encouragement.
This path requires ongoing attention and dependence on God. To help anchor your heart and mind in these truths, consider meditating on these passages:
Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Focus: Christ's life actively lived out in you).
Romans 12:2: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Focus: Internal transformation as key to discerning God's will in complex situations).
Colossians 3:17: "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Focus: The comprehensive nature of discipleship – applying faith to all areas of life).
Philippians 2:5: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus..." (Focus: Cultivating the actual mindset, attitude, and perspective of Jesus).
John 16:13: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth..." (Focus: Trusting the Holy Spirit's active role in guiding your understanding and application of faith).
Living as Jesus would live your life is the adventure of authentic discipleship. It's challenging, yes, but it's also where we find true freedom, purpose, and the profound joy of walking intimately with our living Savior in the real world. Let's embark on that journey together, step by step, relying wholly on His grace.
- Pastor Tim
