Reflection

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” - Edith Wharton

One night, on the heels of a particularly powerful sermon, a man of a very humble disposition who had himself no home to go to, stood up in front of the well to do and well dressed parishioners of a particular church and asked them a question that changed the trajectory of their lives.

“What do you Christians mean by following the steps of Jesus? I’ve tramped through this city for three days trying to find a job, and in all that time I’ve not had a word of sympathy or comfort except from your minister...I heard some people singing at a church prayer meeting the other night, ‘All for Jesus, All for Jesus’ I kept wondering as I sat on the steps outside just what they meant by it. It seems to me there’s an awful lot of trouble in the world that somehow wouldn’t exist if all the people who sang such songs went and lived them out. I suppose I don’t understand. But what would Jesus do?”

And then this man collapsed, and a few days later, he died.

This is an excerpt from a book I am currently reading called In His Steps, written by a minister who pastored a church back in 1896 named Charles M. Sheldon. In his sermon after this event, he challenged his parishioners to make no decision - be it significant or insignificant - without asking the question of what would Jesus do. Some of you are aware of that whole WWJD movement that was thriving in the 1990’s with the neon bracelets - but few of you are aware that this is where it all actually started. With a simple book, one that outlines the story of the lives of those who take this vow and how it ultimately affects not just them, but the whole town they are a part of.

Reading these stories got me thinking about what it really means to follow Christ, and do as he would have done. It seems almost common sense that it should be our primary motivation when living, day in and day out, doesn’t it? But it’s actually not as simple as that. You have to count the cost, and when many of us do we are unwilling to go that far. It’s easy to hold the door open for an old lady who is walking behind you, it is easy to put a shopping cart back where it belongs, it is easy to let someone in front of you in a very long line. I don’t discount these behaviors as inconsequential, I am merely suggesting that if we think we can call it good enough then we are probably missing the point.

This can be seen everyday in the manner in which we choose to behave - we are as good as it is convenient for us to be. We look the other way when we see that homeless person on the corner begging for money or food, we manipulate situations at work to get ahead of other people who have likely worked harder than we have for a promotion, we don’t allow someone to cut in during rush hour because we are in a hurry. We are quite willing to dress nicely and show up to church, singing songs about a savior who fed the hungry and was a shepherd to the lost, but you won’t find us doing the same. Not if it means going into a bad area of town. Not if it requires any actual sacrifice. Because this is what it is to actually follow Jesus. He calls us the light of the world (Matthew 5:14) and by that he means we are meant to be a reflection of the light source - Him. He is the candle.

It is true that there are many Christians out there making real sacrifices, but often the reality is that most of us don’t look like that. We look just like the rest of the world. We blend in. We are not a reflection of the light that is supposed to be residing within us. A few hashtags calling yourself blessed or posting some excerpts from the Bible on social media aren’t going to cut it. If you are questioning this, all I ask is that you consider your life. What would it look like if you started to live differently? How does that look in a world like ours?

It looks weird. And you will look like a weirdo.

It is forgiving, loving and praying for someone who murdered your child.

It is moving your father who sexually abused you up to where you live in his old age so you can care for him.

It is, when given the opportunity, providing gracious feedback on a co-worker who has successfully and intentionally derailed your own career.

It is not giving people what you think they deserve, but instead always extending the grace to them that you yourself have received.

It is choosing to love, every day, and in every way possible when you have the choice to do otherwise. That is how we reflect the light. That is how we ensure that the brightest light we know is able to stretch into the darkest corners of the world and make the glory of God known. That is how we love. That is how we save souls.

I am choosing, starting now, to take the same vow and ask myself in every decision, what would Jesus do? And I am going to live that way for a year. My hope, my prayer, is that it becomes so inherent for me to do so after a while that it becomes more natural to do it than not. I have a feeling that sometime this year God is going to give me the opportunity to to live up to my promise, and I am going to be exposed and compromised for the sacrifice I am going to make. I am excited, anxious and hopeful. I am also terrified. Because, cost.

The world is always going to tell us the opposite of what Christ would have done. It will scream at us that we should be able to get what we want, what we deserve, but the world lies. The world doesn’t owe us anything, but we owe each other a whole lot. Same team.

If you have to ask if this is something you should do, or already do, I say only one thing to that:

Consider your life. You will find your answer. If you choose to join me, please let me know so we can support one another.

God bless.