When there’s a serious accident, there are two types of emergency vehicles that show up.  The police, who try to figure out what happened and who’s at fault.  And the paramedics, whose purpose is to help all those who are hurt.  This same dynamic can be found in our relationships.  Even our relationship with God.

There are some people who are like police.  They try to find out what happened, and who’s to blame.  And many blame God for the circumstances of life.  There are others who are more like the paramedics.  They’re not interested in the why, they know it happened and that it’s a bummer, but now they are focused on helping and making the situation better.

We tend to be too much like the police sometimes. We tend to point at others as the blame for our problems and circumstances.  Maybe it’s at a spouse, maybe it’s a colleague .  We will even point at God as the cause of our situations.  But according to Scripture, God is not to blame.  Sin is to blame.  If we’re looking for causes in the breakdown of our society, our relationships, and/or the reasons for suffering, it is the natural consequences of sin.  It’s the darkness of this world.  And people have shown themselves to love living in the darkness.

According to  John 9:1-6, the story of the blind man, Jesus came to bring healing.  He came to make wrongs right, and remove pain and suffering from all.  He did not come to condemn the world, to hurt or punish, but instead to save.  His mission was to be a light in this dark world. He had an eternal perspective and purpose.

And now that Jesus is gone, it’s our mission to be a light in the world.  A light to each other.  We need to be more like a paramedic and help those around us.  To heal the effects and consequences of sin.  May we bring grace and peace to all.

Adapted from a Chuck Smith Sermon on Blue Letter Bible