Tim Richards
Larry Sarver’s brilliant perspective about them is extremely moving. The former police officer-turned-pastor offered this perceptive observation about car wrecks. “I responded to several traffic accidents, some of them with very severe injuries. At the scene of each accident, there are three groups, each with a different response toward those involved. The first group is the bystanders. They are curious and watch to see what happens, but they don’t get involved. The second group is the police officers. They are there to investigate the cause of the accident, assign blame, issue warnings, and sometimes issue tickets. The third group is the paramedics. They are the most welcomed by those in the accident. They don’t focus on whose fault the accident was, and they aren’t going to lecture those in the accident about their driving habits. They bandage wounds, free trapped people, and offer encouragement.”
Sarver’s observation reminds me of how Christians respond to those who fail. Many are like the bystanders the pastor mentioned, curious about others’ failures and prone to talking about those who have sinned, usually without helping them.
Other believers are more like the second group: ready to point out how wrong the person who messed up is, prepared to assign blame, and eager to tell the one who failed how they should have done better.
Unfortunately, too few of us are paramedics, ready to show up and help without judging, even if poor decisions may have contributed to others’ pain. We must be eager to encourage those who are hurting; our focus should be less on placing blame and more on helping the wounded recover.
It is no surprise that paramedics are the most welcome at accidents. The same can be said about this third group of believers. Their goal is not to assign blame or point out where someone could have done better. This is at least partially what Jesus meant in the Sermon on the Mount when he said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1, NLT)
No one can help everyone, and sometimes we must patiently tell those who consistently make bad choices that there is a better way. But usually, it is more helpful to encourage those who are hurting by showing them that we care, rather than quickly telling them what they should do.
How ironic that Jesus, the world’s only perfect person, is consistently more merciful to sinners than his sinful followers are. Our world needs fewer spiritual law enforcement officers and many more spiritual paramedics. Will you sign up today?
