The fad took over the late 90’s and still had legs into early 2000’s with its footprint still present today. Let’s be honest, it was kind of cool to walk into Walmart and see then name, Jesus, plastered everywhere (even if profiting off of Jesus’ name raises spiritual questions?). People were wearing t-shirts and bracelets, drinking from mugs with Jesus’ name on it, or his first initial. Two movies starring John Schneider and a hit song by Big Tent Revival sealed the legacy with the call letters, WWJD, all beginning its legacy in 1895.
Charles Sheldon was the author who wrote a book entitled, In His Steps. The fictional story takes place in the small community of Raymond whose world is turned upside down with a homeless man passing through their town. He had asked for help, but no one responded. Even Henry Maxwell, the minister for 1st Church of Raymond, dismissed his plea for help. Then on Sunday morning the man sat in church, and while telling his gripping story of homelessness he collapsed and passed away.
Henry Maxwell took the event personally. Driven back to Scripture, he landed in 1 Peter 2:21,
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you,
leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”
Maxwell took that verse to exhort those willing to participate in an experiment. He challenged them to ask a simple question before making any decision, ‘What Would Jesus Do?” (WWJD) in your place, then follow through at best you can. The rest of the story explores how a handful of devoted followers answered the question and the impact it had on their lives and in their community.
Sheldon should be commended for posing the question and encouraging Christ’s disciples to follow him wholeheartedly. Certainly, simply asking WWJD is far better than never contemplating what it means to follow Jesus. But Sheldon’s premise is flawed for at least three reasons.
First, yes, Jesus lived a human life, but never in our shoes, thus making it difficult to determine how to answer so many questions. He never married. He never bought a car. He never went to college or even trade school. He never dealt with the fast food industry. He never had to vote for a politician. He never grew old. So when we ask the question, WWJD, we have to deal with guiding principles like love, forgiveness, compassion, serving and self-sacrifice to inform our decisions. The simple WWJD question ignores the deeper significance of actual discipleship.
Secondly, Sheldon interpreted much of the WWJD through the lenses of the Social Gospel. The Social Gospel addressed social issues of the day like poverty, alcohol, child labor, justice and race relations. Such issues needed and still need addressing as the church should never remain silent in such matters. But the movement was flawed, at least in part because it was rooted in the optimistic hope of the turn of the twentieth century: man wasn’t that bad and God wasn’t that mad (I borrowed that definition). Ultimately, the Social Gospel tried transforming society without transforming lives and it all unraveled when WWI broke out. Man really was that bad, and God must have been that mad.
Finally, Sheldon ignored much of the context of 1 Peter 2. How do you live in a society where you belong to a greater Master and are citizens of a greater Kingdom? What do you do when the government stands against you (2:13-17), your spouse is an unbeliever (3:1-7) and your master is mean spirited (2:18-25)?
Peter calls his readers to look at Jesus who refused to retaliate but absorbed the insults because he trusted God. And without a fad or self-martyr complex, that’s how you follow Jesus in his steps. That is Peter’s understanding of WWJD. In faith we live above board. When attacked, we never retaliate and never threaten. We trust God that his justice will prevail, even if it means we follow Jesus to the cross. And I believe such discipleship is far greater than a market scheme to wear a t-shirt.
Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)