What would Jesus do? This question, or catchphrase, became especially popular during the decades of the 1980s and ‘90s — so popular, in fact, that there were wooden plaques, t-shirts, bumper stickers and various forms of media created with this phrase on it. I believe most people, if asked, would assume this question was created to give us pause about the virtuousness of our daily lives — given a particular situation, what would Jesus do? However, I would argue that the crux of this phrase does not, and should not, only apply to morality, but it should also apply to selflessness and service. In the Gospels, Jesus not only provides a moral compass but also a manual on how to be selfless — a servant leader. 

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus speaks of servanthood in several passages, such as “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35) and “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45). The Gospels provide us with countless stories of Jesus’ service to others: the washing of feet, healing the sick, feeding the hungry and his most selfless act — dying on the cross so we may have eternal life. Jesus led by example, and he did not demand loyalty; he garnered it. Furthermore, he did not maneuver his way into a position of leadership — he earned it by being a trusted and giving teacher and servant to those in need. I wonder how Jesus would be viewed by today’s standards — the standards set by a capitalist society?

When created, the ideology of capitalism was not intended to do harm. However, over time, capitalism has fostered an individualistic mindset in the pursuit of wealth, power and influence. Today, the word capitalism should give pause to anyone who believes in community and selflessness. The very definition — “an economic system based on the private ownership of capital” — is juxtaposed with what Jesus teaches in the Bible. Capitalism has become an engine through which to promote greed and self-serving ideals. Contrarily, Jesus spent his days giving his time, his wisdom and his talents. It is my belief that, as believers, we are called to do the same if we are to be righteous. Moreover, how do we do “as Jesus would do” when we are indoctrinated into a world overshadowed by mammon and greed? From the time we are small children, we are bombarded with representations of what success looks like, all of which depict and glorify both power and wealth. The dreams of luxury homes, European automobiles, designer clothing and vulgar excess are firmly implanted into our psyche. Western society elevates powerful elites over selfless servants, choosing to praise wealth and accomplishment while ignoring those who are selfless in the pursuit of helping and healing. 

Ironically, approximately 20% of the population achieves anywhere near what is considered to be success by capitalist standards; what happens to the 80% who do not achieve the aforementioned “American Dream”? The brutal truth is that they live paycheck to paycheck, and many of them are in severe debt — only one negative life event away from social ruin and financial failure. Over time, a good deal of this 80% become stifled, downtrodden and socially disenfranchised by a merit system not set up for everyone to flourish and reach cultural shalom.

The fields of science and technology have progressed exponentially over the decades since industrialization. What about ethics? They have certainly progressed at a much slower rate, and some would even say they have been all but forgotten in many instances. What does this mean for community and shalom? I believe it further convolutes the definitions of power, success and achievement in a society that already praises self-interest and opportunism over selflessness and humaneness. 

In the end, society needs a reset. As an incarcerated man and a member of the Calvin Prison Initiative, I have learned to define success and achievement differently. I believe success is when we succeed in community, not individuality. Before coming to prison, I was a healthcare provider, treating both physical and mental health, including addiction. I now believe crime, incarceration, mental illness and self-seeking behaviors are byproducts of a system that defines power, success and influence in terms the vast majority of society can never fully realize. Because of this, there is a suffering majority out there looking for answers in drugs and alcohol, lustfulness and pornography, crime and opportunism — instead of in community. Humanity has forgotten how to live in community and how to lean on and assist one another in order to attain peace and joy. Most importantly, we have forgotten how Jesus taught us to live — as selfless servants. Maybe we should stop asking, “What would Jesus do?” and simply do as Jesus did.