The Daily Quest[ion]

Before I begin: Thanks, Michele Mollkoy, for nudging me back to this blog. Your words are just what I needed.

Just over a century ago, a book swept the Christians of this nation (and not a few seekers) called In His Steps. In this book, a community of people committed to the mentality that, in the face of everything that happened to them in a normal day, they would ask a question before they responded: "what would Jesus do?"

Many in my generation still wear bracelets with the now too familiar "WWJD." However, after both waves of that question, knowledgeable theologians and pastors joined in the chorus of criticism of this question. Unless one has gone through significant transformation on deep levels, one can ask that question ad nauseam and rarely, if ever, actually do what Jesus would have done. Life simply comes at us too fast, and there are too many factors playing into our every decision. Knowing what Jesus would do, furthermore, requires knowing Jesus.

I've been asking a new question these days, and it feels like the beginnings of a grand experiment akin to Frank Laubach's inspiring journey to spend every moment in the presence of God, preserved in the book Practicing His Presence. It is born out of the frustration that most Christian feel at some point, and pastors who preach passionately feel regularly: I talk about Jesus a lot, and know a lot more about him. But in most of my life, I don't really live like he's really alive. With that, I had to go back a few steps. My spiritual maturity isn't at the point where I can ask a more interactive question.

So, I've been asking of myself and anyone I can get a few minutes with: Who is Jesus to me today? For first timers, I have to clarify: I'm not asking who Jesus was. Nor am I asking what Jesus did. Theological truth is wonderful, and should shape how we know Jesus (or whether the one we know is the real Jesus), but I'm starting with one piece of theological truth: the Bible claims that Jesus is alive, right now, and that by the Holy Spirit, he is intimately involved in the lives of his followers. If that's true... he's someone to me right now.

The reason I have to ask it this way is because I know myself. I act a certain way based on who is around. When I'm with my mom, I am one way. When I'm with the people of my church, I'm another. When my good friends from college are around, I'm another. Shouldn't it be the same with Jesus? Well, that's only true if I'm aware that he's with me. And he has set things up in a way that I have to choose to be aware of him. The way I choose? By asking the question.

So, who is Jesus to you today? And, what need in your life does your answer reveal?