WWJD? Those letters have become somewhat campy, perhaps clichéd, from such frequent use. They show up on ball caps, bumper stickers, and rock singers’ tattoos. Our response to them has been diminished, mostly now falling somewhere between apathy and a dismissive rolling of the eyes. And yet, as people who operate within the theological and philosophical framework of Christianity, the question represented by those four letters is central: What Would Jesus Do?

The influence we have over others is beyond debate, and it is usually far more significant than we wish to believe. The church word for it is “witness.” Just think of the question: “What do people witness when they observe our lives, our words, our business dealings, our relationships, our choices?” A witness can be for good or evil, but none of us can avoid having some sort of influence over others. Therefore, when making our choices, WWJD? is more than a cliché. It is an opportunity to make the right kind of witness.

Dostoevsky’s brilliant novel, The Brothers Karamazov, illuminates this idea as few other works ever have. Fyodor, the father, is a totally self-absorbed human being, only concerned with satisfying his own needs and senses. Dmitri, his oldest son (who hates his father), is likewise self-absorbed and driven not so much by morals as by his own desires. That leads to pain, betrayal, and false imprisonment for a crime he did not commit. And yet, knowing his nature, many simply assumed his guilt. The apple had not fallen far from the tree. Ivan, a second son, wrestles with faith and doubt. At one point he makes a passionate argument that there can be no God in a world where children suffer. A loving God could not allow that. And, without a God, it would seem there can be no right and wrong. Do you remember the outcome of his statements? Smerdyakov, who had been listening and and was convinced, thus murdered Fyodor (arguing that if there is no right or wrong, as Ivan professed, then his act must be permissible). There is another son, as you recall. His name is Alexei (but is most often referred to by his nickname, Alyosha). He is profoundly influenced by an old and gentle monk named Zosima. Alyosha, thus, becomes the antithesis of his father (and of his brothers). He becomes faith-filled, kind, caring, and lives his life based on the principle of love. He even influences the schoolboys in his town to adopt love as their guiding principle, too.

Okay, the names are a bit difficult, and the story line is involved. But Dostoevsky’s genius is that he makes it clear that every character, whether good or evil, has been influenced by someone else. Every character learned their lessons by observing another person’s life and moral choices. Someone, for better or worse, became their witness. And those persons’ impact lived on through the ones they touched who then touched others who touched others, etc. – the great ripple-on-the-pond effect.