The Power of Really Asking “What Would Jesus Do?”
What Would Jesus Do grew out of the Biblical concept of the “Imitatio Christi,” or the “Imitation of Christ,” one of the teachings stressed in The Roman Catholic Church. Thomas a Kempis wrote a book with the title Imitation of Christ in the 1400s. John Wesley later built on the foundation of this theme, adding a social welfare component.
Inspired by Kempis’ book, the preacher Charles Spurgeon peppered one of his sermons with the phrase “What Would Jesus Do?” in 1881 in London. The Reverend A.B. Simpson composed a hymn that year using that phrase as the name. But Reverend Charles Sheldon was the one who introduced it to a wider audience.
In 1890, Reverend Sheldon was leading the Central Congregational Church of Topeka, Kansas. He had been growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of attendance at the Sunday night services there, and decided to try a new approach to his messages.
Sheldon acknowledged the challenges of imitating Christ while living in modern society. So, he came upon the idea of composing a string of what he called “sermon stories” to address this point in his late Sunday meetings. Each week, he presented an episode that depicted a moral dilemma someone might face. The messages all ended with a cliffhanger, and the question, “What would Jesus do?” Attendance at Central Congregational quickly surged.
Encouraged by the response, Reverend Sheldon wrote a book in 1896 titled, In His Steps, which continued on this theme of making choices in daily life that reflect the values of Jesus. Because of a defective copyright, 70 different publishers in America and beyond ended up publishing the book. A bestseller, it was eventually translated into a number of foreign languages as well.
One of the stories, about how a newspaper editor applied the question, “What Would Jesus Do,” inspired the Topeka Daily Capital editor to invite Sheldon to take over his paper for a week. In March of 1900, readers saw, instead of the usual stories, reports about social reforms, missionaries, and fundraising efforts for India. Ads that the Reverend found offensive were taken out or re-worded. The experiment was a great success – many people around the world subscribed for the week.
Garrett W. Sheldon, Reverend Sheldon’s great-grandson, published an updated version of the book and called it What Would Jesus Do?: A Contemporary Retelling of Charles M. Sheldon’s Classic In His Steps.
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It sounds simplistic, but to be able to answer the WWJD question correctly, we have to be familiar with what Jesus did during His life and ministry. The books Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament are the authoritative sources about how Jesus lived. Reading and studying the four Gospels is the perfect first step toward responding like Jesus.
Though WWJD refers to New Testament history, awareness of Old Testament truths is important for us, too. Jesus often reminded the disciples that He was the Son of God, and that “whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19). God’s commands in the Old Testament were the basis for Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels – quoting related passages gave context to His listeners. One example is in Matthew 5, during the Sermon on the Mount.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’” (Matthew 5:27).
“You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).
Many times, Jesus taught His lessons plainly and directly. But on some occasions, Jesus spoke in parables, or stories such as these, to teach a life principle.
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37): We are to show God’s love to others, treating them with respect.
The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:11-27): We are to use our gifts (time, talent, treasure) to grow God’s Kingdom.
The Rich Fool (Luke 16-21): We are to be generous and share our blessings.
While exploring what Jesus would do, it’s instructive to take a look at what Jesus wouldn’t do as well. In short, Jesus refused to do anything that would dishonor God. So, all of His actions were aimed at bringing glory to His Father.
Several accounts in the Gospels show His unwillingness to tolerate anything that stood against God. He continued to praise God as He was repeatedly tempted by Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13, Mark 1:12-13). He openly rebuked the religious leaders for unrighteous practices (Matthew 7:5, 15:7-9, 23:29). Even as Jesus faced crucifixion, He remained obedient to His Father’s will (Matthew 26:39).
“What Would Jesus Do?” is so much more than a saying for Christians – it’s a habit that encourages right living. But when a phrase is around long enough, it can start to be used casually, or even fade away altogether. Knowing the origins of WWJD and how it has inspired so many before us actually adds to its relevance today.
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Heather Adams is an author, speaker, and singer living in Connecticut. Heather’s passion is to equip and encourage believers to seek more of God’s truth and to experience more of His joy each day. Her book, Bow Down: The Heart of a True Worshipper is a practical, 30-day devotional about worship based on the writings of King David. Heather’s blog, Worship Walk Ministries, offers weekly Scripture passages and insights to ponder. A native New Englander, Heather is settling into her home in the South, trying out local foods and watching for the alligators that live nearby! You can connect with her on her website: heatheradamsworshipwalk.com