A Red–Letter community that wants to look like Jesus will dream up whimsical ways to bless individuals with mercy and they will create prophetic ways to dismantle systems of oppression. If the challenge seems too overwhelming . . . do something small. 

Don’t compare your contribution to others. Don’t evaluate your success by the impact it makes on social problems. Just do the next right thing. Your humble expression of compassion will be noticed by God; it will be a prophetic demonstration of what life is supposed to look like. ​

One in ten people on the planet do not have access to safe water; that’s more than twice the population of the United States. “Little Ones” are by far the most vulnerable. A child dies every sixty seconds from water-borne illness. When someone shares a cup of pure water with a thirsty child it does not go unnoticed in heaven. ​

The scene is the Last Supper; Jesus is pouring out his heart and sharing final instructions with the disciples. He’s not surprised to discover his friends are only half listening. They are distracted by a familiar argument . . . who among them was considered the greatest? Jesus doesn’t rebuke them for wanting to be great, he simply redefines the meaning of greatness by asking: “Who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves?” After a moment to ponder the obvious, Jesus points out: “But I am among you as one who serves.” In the eyes of our competitive, consumer-driven world, the one at the table with the most power and possessions is regarded as the greatest. In the economy of heaven, and in the eyes of Jesus, it is the one who serves. ​

In the 1980’s there were plenty of options to sport the “What Would Jesus Do” brand. If bracelets weren’t your thing, you could buy a W.W.J.D. ball cap, wear the T-shirt, or post a W.W.J.D. bumper sticker right next to your “Honk if You Love Jesus” sticker! I didn’t have the bumper sticker, but I did have an Ichthus fish proudly flying on the backdoor of my minivan.
 
I remember well the day I decided to remove the Ichthus symbol from my car. It was the Christmas season of 1987. I was making a mad dash on Christmas Eve to do some last–minute shopping. Traffic was bumper to bumper. The mall parking lot was covered with slushy snow. Red tail lights, from the caravan of cars searching for a place to park, reflected on the white surface of snow. It was my third pass through the parking lot when I spotted an open space on the front row. In the corner of my eye, I saw another car heading for the open spot. The race was on! I had a proud smirk of victory on my face as I pulled into the space, two links before my competition. When I stepped out of my car an elderly, grey–haired lady drove past; she slowly rolled down her window and said, “I don’t think that’s what Jesus would do!” My smirk of victory turned into a frown of shame. The lady was right. As she drove off, his words echoed in my ear:
 
“When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.”
(Luke 14:8-9)
 
What would Jesus do is a great question to ask before making decisions. I wish I had asked it of myself before I raced the older­—and more distinguished lady—to the parking space of honor.
 
What Would Jesus Do, is a question made popular by Charles Sheldon’s book, In His Steps. First written in 1896, the book has sold more than 50,000,000 copies and ranks as one of the best–selling Christian books of all time. It was a “pop classic” in the 1980’s and inspired the W.W.J.D. craze.
 
There is no doubt, Sheldon’s question strikes at the core of Christian discipleship; but here lately I’ve been wondering, are there other questions that will lead me deeper into the heart of Christ? Or to ask it another way, how does a disciple of Jesus move beyond imitating Jesus to letting the character of Christ be formed in his or her heart? In my quest to follow Jesus, I have discovered two nuances of the W.W.J.D. question that call for a more personal and contextual response.
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​Dallas Willard takes the W.W.J.D. question to a whole new level by asking a similar question, with a more personal twist. In his book, The Divine Conspiracy, Willard challenges the disciple of Jesus to ask her or himself, “How would Jesus live my life if he were I?” This nuance will move the conversation from situational ethics—searching for the moral high ground when faced with an ethical dilemma—to a personal encounter with the living Christ; learning how to live and move and have your being, in the same manner in which Jesus lived and moved and had his being. 
 
According to Willard, “a disciple, or apprentice, is simply someone who has decided to be with another person, under appropriate conditions, in order to become capable of doing what that person does or to become what that person is.” Hence, a disciple of Jesus, signs on to spend time with Jesus—through grace and choice, through study and reflection on the Gospel narratives, through taking seriously what Jesus said and how he lived, and through the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the disciple—in order to learn how to do what Jesus did and to become what Jesus is. Simply put, the goal of Christian discipleship is to develop Christlike character and Christlike competency. Mike Breen, the founder of 3DM, says it like this: “At the end of the day, we can probably boil being a disciple down to two things: Character and Competency. We want the character that Jesus has and we want to be able to do the things that Jesus could do (competency). Discipleship is learning, over the course of our lives, to become people who have both.”
 
The first step of Christian discipleship—after making the decision to follow Jesus and spend time with him—is imitating the ways of Christ. Building competence means asking yourself: “What did Jesus do and how did he do it?” and then giving it a whirl. The disciple of Jesus will learn through trial and error. Sometimes we imitate Jesus well, and sometimes . . . not so much! Either way—success or failure—your discipling relationship with Jesus will help you build competency as you practice doing the things Jesus did and reflecting on the results with Jesus. 
 
However, the goal of discipleship is deeper than simply imitating Christ. In his pointed way, Dallas Willard reminds his reader that a follower of Jesus is learning from him how to lead their life; they are not learning from him how to lead his life. “His life on earth,” says Willard, “was a transcendently wonderful one. But it has now been led. Neither I nor anyone else, even himself, will ever lead it again. And he is, in any case, interested in my life, that very existence that is me.” The reason Jesus invites people to follow him is rooted in his desire to help people live their best lives and become their true selves—the self, God created them to be.
 
Jesus knew how to live a truly authentic human life. He knew how to live his life on earth—step by step, breath by breath—in the kingdom of God, and he knew how to apply that kingdom for the good of others. Furthermore, he knew how to make a way for others to experience the kingdom for themselves. This was his mission and his passion; it is what he was good at! Therefore, the invitation to follow Jesus, is an invitation to learn how to live in the kingdom of God, here and now, in a way that is authentic to who you are. Instead of learning how to do everything Jesus did with his life, disciples of Jesus are challenged to do everything they do in the same manner Jesus did all that he did. The goal of Christian discipleship is to learn from Jesus how to live your life in the kingdom of God; or to say it another way, to do what you do in the manner Jesus would do it if he were you.
 
The question, “How would Jesus live my life if he were I?” takes into account my real–life experience, including my biological make–up and my history? We can ask the same question in a dozen different ways: How would Jesus live my life if he had my DNA? My mind? My heart? My emotions? How would he live my life if he had my talents and my limitations? My passions, interests, and dreams? How would Jesus live my life if he had my family of origin? Mary and Joseph were rock star parents. They played a big role in the formation of Jesus’s character; but what if Jesus had my parents? How would Jesus live my life if he lived through the formative experiences I had, or endured the traumatic experiences I endured? What if Jesus worked where I work and reported to my boss? How would he do my job? What would he pursue as a vocational calling if he were I? How would Jesus live my life if he were married to my spouse and given the responsibility of raising my children?
 
These questions demand personal responses that are worked out in conversation with the living Christ. When taken seriously and pursued diligently, they will help you discover your true self. Over time you will learn to operate in the kingdom of God in ways unpretentious and authentic. Your character will begin to reflect the character of Christ and you will cultivate the competency to leverage the kingdom of God, not only for yourself, but also for the good of others.

Yes, Christian discipleship must be personal, but it cannot be private. Following Jesus—learning how to do what Jesus would do if he were I—includes caring about my community in the same manner Jesus cared for his. Asking, “What would Jesus do if he lived in my neighborhood?” offers yet another layer to the W.W.J.D. question; one that leads the disciple into conversations about incarnation, mission, and context.
 
Jesus, as God incarnate, was sent on mission to a specific place and culture, during a specific time in history, for a specific purpose. Even though our twenty–first century world, and the diversity of cultures that flavor our planet today, are far removed from the Jewish culture of first century Judea, the missional purpose of Jesus remains the same. His mission--to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, relief for the oppressed, recovery of sight for the blind, and to announce and set in motion the kingdom of heaven of earth--has been passed down from generation to generation. It is paramount for those who follow Jesus to advance this mission incarnationally, in ways that are relatable to the context they find themselves in. 
 
The disciple of Jesus will pay close attention to the things he said, taking them to heart and making every effort to put his words into practice. But the disciple will also pay attention to the way Jesus was with people, observing what he valued and how he lived in community. Henri Nouwen observed the way of Jesus and concluded his way was the way of downward mobility—a way of humility and service, a way that leads to the poor, and ultimately to the cross.
 
No doubt Jesus was attracted to those who were forced to live on the margins of society. He had a deep compassion for the poor. He healed the sick. He longed for people, whose lives were oppressed by their own sin or the sin of others, to be set free. In his day, like ours, there were social systems and religious mores that included some people while excluding others. Jesus went out of his way to debunk any social system that was based on the practice of exclusion. He ate with sinners, touched lepers, and lifted up the dignity of women. He broke rabbinical laws by healing the sick on the sabbath; which provoked a conflict between himself and the religious authorities. He worked to dismantle social and “racial” barriers. Consider the time he shared a cup of water with the Samaritan woman, or the way he flipped the anti–Samaritan narrative and made a “Good Samaritan” the hero of his parable on friendship.
 
The list of ways Jesus acted subversive and counter­–cultural, in order to advance the kingdom of heaven on earth, is a rather long list. The disciple of Jesus, who desires to emulate his character, will value his idea of a beloved community, where compassion, freedom, inclusion, and justice for all, is the norm. If the disciple wants to cultivate Christlike competency, they will strive to support the value of a beloved community with audacious actions and use their creative energy to construct such a community. Asking the hard questions about inequity in your context and wondering what Jesus would do if he lived in your neighborhood is a fundamental component of Christian discipleship. Unfortunately, it is one step in the great commission that is omitted far too often.   

​When a young candidate for ministry asked a seasoned elder in our church how to discern the will of God for her life, the elder smiled and said, “Shucks, we all do what we want to do and then call it God’s will.” I laughed along with the rest of the preachers in the room. We laughed because it resonated with our experience, but none of us would have said it out loud. We would have searched for a more spiritual response, one that offered words of wisdom for the young neophyte.   
 
This conversation happened years ago. With each passing year, I’ve become more and more convinced that the elder’s response wasn’t a reductionist view of God’s will; on the contrary, it was a golden, tidbit of wisdom. I’ve come to believe the best way to discern God’s will for our lives is to pay attention to the true desires of our own heart and then pursue those desires with all the passion and gratitude we can muster.
 
The psalmist says it like this, “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:3–4) The key to discerning God’s will is to trust, dwell, and delight in God; do this and your heart’s desire will become a trustworthy guide—a compass that will help you discover God’s great desire for your life.
 
If you find yourself in the same spot as my young friend, asking, “What is God’s will for my life?” Here are three things you can do to help bring clarity and confidence to your decisions about the future.

Trust God with your whole heart and do good.  Learning to trust and follow the desires of your heart starts with trusting God more than you trust yourself. Proverbs 19:2 says, “Desire without knowledge is not good; how much more will hasty feet miss the way.”  The danger of making life decisions on the whims of your heart, without engaging knowledge, is the simple fact that our hearts are easily deceived; and sometimes, they are flat–out deceptive. When we make trusting and knowing God our number one priority, God will help us distinguish between our pseudo passions, (the desires rooted in lust, greed, and selfish ambition) and our real passions, (the desires rooted in our true selves, those God-given desires for the things of life that make us fully human.) A good guide for making life decisions when you’re not sure if you can trust your heart is to follow John Wesley’s three simple rules: Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.  

Dwell in the boundaries of God’s land. Sometimes people forget how big God is and fail to grasp how vast are the boundaries of God’s kingdom. It is a mammoth mistake to shrink God’s kingdom to church property, church business, and Christian ministry. When Christians live in a “church-centric” bubble they are prone to forget the boundaries of God’s land includes all of life—every eco-system on the globe, every person on the planet, and every social sphere in society. If you are trying to discern God’s will for your life, it is good to remember, you are free to dream as big as your heart desires. The sky is the limit. There are a gazillion ways for you to join God in God’s redemptive mission of reconciliation. Jesus had a vision for creation. He saw a time looming in the future, when his followers would live in community, loving God, loving their neighbors, and loving the planet in such whimsical ways that the realities of God’s kingdom would actually become the realities of earth. Anywhere you live, everywhere you go, whatever you put your hands to doing, you are in a position to express God’s will and help Jesus fulfill his mission and vision.

Delight in the Lord.  If you are perplexed about a vocational decision or trying to discern what to do next with your life, push the pause button and remember—God is more interested in your relationship with God than what you do for God. Guard your heart, don’t let the values of this world—the values of expediency, up-ward mobility, fame, fortune, and the like—be the measures with which you base your decisions. Instead, delight in God. Drink deep from streams of joy and find time to soak in God’s presence every day. Sing loud. Laugh often. Look intently for the signs of God’s presence everywhere you go, most especially in the people you meet along the way. When you delight in God, the joy of the Lord will become your strength; and like Jesus, the joy that is set before you, will help you navigate difficult decisions and endure the most challenging circumstances. (See Hebrews 12:2.) Your desires will be grounded in your true self and reveal the person God created you to be.   

​In Galatians 5:16, Saint Paul says, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” These three instructions from Psalm thirty–seven provide an excellent picture of what it looks like to walk in the Spirit: trust God wholeheartedly; stretch the boundaries of your life to include all of God’s kingdom; delight in God every day. 
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“The compassionate life,” says Henri Nouwen, “is the life of downward mobility . . . the descending way of Jesus. It is the way toward the poor, the suffering, the marginal, the prisoners, the refugees, the lonely, the hungry, the dying, the tortured, the homeless—toward all who ask for compassion.” Jesus invites the rich young ruler—and all others who read this red-letter story—to free themselves from the talons of consumer-driven idolatry and to follow him on the descending way of compassion. It is good to remember this invitation is in response to the rich man’s question: “What must I do to gain eternal life?”  
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