My sermon today asks a question about an equation. On one side are the letters--perhaps already familiar to you--of WWJD. On the other side are what I assume are less-familiar letters: WWLD. And the question the sermon asks is, simply, are these the same?

Is WWLD equal to WWJD? Can one substitute for the other? Let’s find out!

WWJD--whether you see it on a wrist band, a piece of jewelry, or a t-shirt--stands for what? “What would Jesus do?” right? And, even though its latest incarnation is credited to the work of a pastor and youth group in Michigan, the idea of imitating Jesus in daily life has been around since the time that Jesus first walked the earth.

In 1896, however, that phrase--that specific question--"What would Jesus do?” became widespread as a result of a popular novel.

Charles Sheldon’s, In His Steps, begins one Friday morning when a destitute beggar appears at the front door of Rev. Henry Maxwell. Rev. Maxwell is writing his sermon and doesn’t want--he can’t afford--to be disturbed. After curtly listening to the man’s tale of woe, Rev. Maxwell brushes him aside and closes the door.

The very next Sunday morning, who should show up at Rev. Maxwell’s church but this same homeless man! As Rev. Maxwell’s eloquent sermon ends, the man walks up to “the open space in front of the pulpit,” and faces the people. No one stops him.

Quietly--but frankly--the poor man confronts the congregation—“I’m not complaining; just stating facts,” he says—about their lack of compassion for the homeless like him. When he’s finished addressing the congregation, the poor man collapses and dies a few days later.

The next Sunday, Rev. Maxwell is a changed man! Deeply moved by the events of the past week, he presents a challenge to his congregation: “Do not do anything,” he pleads (as much to himself as to anyone), “without first asking, ‘What would Jesus do?’”

And thus, a movement was born! I don’t wear the bracelet--I don’t wear any bracelets!--but I agree that asking, What would Jesus do, before doing anything is a good way to bring your faith into daily life.

You arrive at church. Over here is someone you don’t know--maybe a first-time visitor--and over here is an old friend. What would Jesus do? Jesus would turn from the old friend (knowing he would see him again) and approach the visitor, to make them feel welcome.

Someone at work or in the neighborhood is going through a hard time. Their marriage isn’t doing so well. What would Jesus do? Jesus might say, Why don’t you come with me to church some time? I may not always get the answers there, but I always come away with a sense that God cares for me, and that God is listening to my problems and will somehow guide me through them!

I may not wear the bracelet but I agree, asking What would Jesus do before anything is a good way to bring faith into daily life. But, get this: as good as asking WWJD may be, WWLD might be even better!

Any guesses so far? I’ll give you a hint. It’s from today’s second reading. Paul writes, “my friends, you were called to be free. But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires control you. Instead, let love make you serve one another. For,” he explains, “the whole Law is summed up in one commandment: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”

How about now? Any guesses? WWLD. The best guide to putting your faith into practice on a daily basis is to ask, What would love do?

My friends, you were called to be free. But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires control you (or, as another translation puts it, “don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do). Instead, let love make you serve one another. For the whole Law--everything that God expects and wants from us--is summed up in one commandment: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

At this point, people of my generation are likely to pick up a guitar and start singing, All you need is love! The problem with that, however, is that--along with the people of that generation--we thought it would all be so easy! A couple of flowers, a couple of hugs, and all problems are solved.

St. Paul--and Jesus--know better!

The direction that Paul approaches this from is freedom. When members of Paul’s churches heard his message, “For freedom, Christ has set us free!” they assumed they knew exactly what he was talking about.

“Whoohoo! You know all those demands that Judaism and paganism put on us? Demands like: be good; do good; do unto others as you have would them do to you? ‘For freedom Christ has set us free!’ We don’t have to do anything anymore! We can do whatever we want, whenever we want!”

Emphatically, Paul says no! “My friends, you were called to be free. But don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do. Instead, let love make you serve one another. For the whole Law--everything that God expects and wants from us--is summed up in one commandment: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”

We have been set free to love. But, we’re not done yet! Just as freedom needed to be defined by love, so love itself needs to be defined.

Love is not a couple of flowers, some hugs, and all problems solved. Love led Jesus to the cross. Love led St. Paul to put himself in situations where, in his own remarkable words, he faced, “imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death. Five times I have received ... the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked.”

All for love! All because, on a daily basis, St. Paul did what he is urging us to do each and every day. Ask, what would love do? But not just any love! Ask what the love of Christ would do for others, and then do it yourself.

Today we’re sending a group of volunteers--kids and adults--on a mission trip to Appalachia. Later this week I myself will be going on a mission trip to the Lakota Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Mission trips teach a lot about love. Mission trips place you in situations where you ask yourself, What would love do? How do you love this person as Jesus loves them? How do you love this task as Jesus loves it?

More often than not, you show it by service. And now, of course, I’m not just talking about mission trips anymore! I’m talking about what you and I do once we walk out of church today.

What would love do? What would the self-sacrificial, costly love of Jesus do for this person or that situation?

Love doesn’t mean always saying yes. Love doesn’t mean always giving in. Most certainly, love doesn’t mean simply being “nice,” whatever that means!

That’s what makes love so tough and so challenging! It means living your life like a prayer. Like a prayer which constantly asks, What would love do?

“My friends, you were called to be free. But don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do. Instead, let love make you serve one another. For the whole Law--everything that God expects and wants from us--is summed up in one commandment: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”

In Jesus’ name. Amen!