WWJV" -- whom would Jesus vote for?
My favorite novel, as a young person, was In His Steps, written
by Charles Sheldon. The premise of this novel is simple. A group
of people in the church made a spiritual pact that before doing
or saying anything they would preface it by asking the probing
question, "What would Jesus do?" (WWJD).
If you have read that novel, you know this simple query put
everyone's life in jeopardy. Everyone, that is, who was serious
about it.
Some want enough religion to keep from getting the real thing
but not enough to change or inconvenience their lifestyle. Not
everyone is serious about his or her religious life.
Many people want to go to heaven but they want to do it their
way and in their own good time. If these people treated their
job the same way they treat God, they would not have a job for
long.
It's a good question: What would Jesus do? I have thought a lot
about it myself and must confess it has done some good in my
direction. Now, whenever I see those initials WWJD it gives me
some pause to think about what I am doing. And, if you have to
know, I've had to not do some things I had projected.
Recently, in light of the WWJD resurgence, I have seen
bracelets, and jewelry and other paraphernalia with these
initials, reminding people of the message. I'm all for anything
that will encourage people to do the right thing, regardless of
any inconvenience.
I think, however, that some people have taken a left when the
road map indicated a right.
For example: Someone wrote a book on What Would Jesus Eat? I did
not read the book but I'm guessing he ate a lot of fish but
absolutely no pizza, let alone a nice slice of New York-style
cheesecake.
Often I have wondered how our Lord survived without cheesecake.
Don't tell anyone, but I have a sneaking suspicion he would have
enjoyed a slice, as well as me.
Some advertising genius got on the wagon and struck up the band
with "What would Jesus drive?" I could be way out of line here
but I'm thinking Jesus drove a donkey, if you can drive a donkey.
One of the last things he did was to ride a donkey into the city
of Jerusalem. Apart from the lowly donkey, Jesus wore out a lot
of sandal leather.
If I'm going to "drive what Jesus drove," I will have to turn my
car in for a low mileage donkey. Donkeys are great on gas but it
is the post-donkey problem that keeps piling up.
I know what the Mistress of the Parsonage would say (and do) if
I brought a donkey home some evening. Mr. Donkey and Yours Truly
would be traveling companions, to be sure.
The question burning in my mind during these pre-election days
is simply; "Whom would Jesus vote for" (WWJV) in the upcoming
elections?
Forgotten are all those hanging chads and such, associated with
the election of 2000. My mind is in a new direction; whom would
Jesus vote for in November?
Religion has played an important role in the politicking of
late. Every politician, these days, speaks of the importance of
personal faith in an appeal to religious groups. If you ask me,
I've never seen a politician who could not do with a good dose
of religion.
Even in Pennsylvania, politicians are chasing the Amish vote.
Now, I ask you, what in the world does a politician of the 21st
century have to offer the Amish living in the 18th century?
The Amish have their own schools. They take care of each other
and do not need a government health plan. And there is no
unemployment among these sturdy people of the earth. They go out
of their way to keep the government out of their lives.
Therefore, what does a politician have to offer these quaint
people