If you are old enough to drive, then you have either personally been involved in a traffic accident or know someone who has. Most people, at least in the United States, can relate to this event. I noticed something interesting the other day. As a volunteer firefighter, I’ve seen more than a few accidents. Those accidents can vary between a minor fender-bender and a catastrophic collision ending with multiple fatalities.
I was recently on call for a 2 vehicle collision at an intersection. At this intersection the East/West traffic had stop signs while the North/South did not. While talking to a friend he asked if I had been on the call. He was familiar with the call and the intersection where it took place even though he had not witnessed the accident himself. One of the first things he said in our conversation was a statement regarding the car that apparently was driving on the East/West road. He said, “Who’s fault was it? It must have been the car with the stop sign.”
A logical conclusion to be sure. I certainly cannot deny his logic as the facts would seem to indicate that the car which was traveling the east/west road, probably did not stop at the intersection where there was a stop sign. But, what is interesting was that this was his first question.
He could have asked about the condition of the cars, the patients, the road, or any number of other questions. But, His question was immediately about who was at fault. I must admit that this same sort of question runs through my mind on virtually every accident. What happened? What was the cause? Who’s fault is it? It’s hard to walk away form an accident scene and not wonder how all of the pieces came together to make up the picture we just saw.
The truth is that we are a fault seeking society. We are a people who are constantly looking for who is to blame. How often do we think and relate to the victim?
As I have thought about this, I realize that I need to be one who is slow to find fault. I need to be someone who is quick to forgive. I need to be one who is slow to judge. I need to remember that it is Jesus who took all of my fault. He took all of my blame. I am not the victim, but rather the victor because of what God has done for me.
