I'm Jen Hedrick and I approved this message ...

Is it just me or does it seem like this political season has lasted longer than high school? We've been bombarded with more trash talking and name calling than two chicks fisting it out in the mall parking lot. And I STILL can't figure out who's responsible for the war, gas prices, the economy and illegal immigration.

I need a break from the 30-second spots that have choked out witty talking amphibians peddling car insurance. I'm tired of the creepy voice overs proclaiming that the other guy is a godless low-life who hates babies and takes medication away from ailing seniors.
It isn't just presidential. It's as pungent between local opponents as it is for the Commander in Chief's job. I suppose that's the nature of politics. (POLI - meaning "many" and TICS - meaning "blood-sucking parasites"). I love etymology. (Look it up).

I have no political aspirations myself, so maybe I don't really understand the games they're playing in order to be elected to an office where they will act in my best interest. And it's really not even that - it's that the other guy doesn't care about polar bears or American jobs much less my best interest. As a Christian I don't really know who has my best interest in mind. So I gotta ask myself ... WWJD? (What would Jesus do?)

Some folks think Jesus was a Conservative. Others believe he was more of a Liberal. There's no clear indication in scripture that Jesus was registered as a Republican or a Democrat so I guess we'll never know HWJV? (How would Jesus vote). But no matter who's in charge, there will always be folks who are hungry, homeless, lonely, sick and poor. And regardless of who wins the highest office in the land, Jesus would feed the hungry, visit the sick, house the homeless and give hope to the hopeless. Maybe that's the better mindset. At the end of this election it's not whether we choose to be elephants or donkeys - it's whether we choose to be sheep or goats.


The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-45 - The Message)

31-33"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

34-36"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'

37-40"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'

41-43"Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'

44"Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?'

45"He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.'