Whose fault?

There once was a woman who got a phone call from an emergency responder.

“Your son has been severely injured in a car accident. We’ve got him and are taking him to the hospital.”

The next few weeks of her family’s lives were overwhelmed with hospital visits, prayers, and uncertainty.

But her community rallied around her family with constant meals, support, random treats, and love.

The young man started to recover.

And then suddenly, the truth came out.

He had caused the accident.

He had been using his cell phone and lost control.

The facts of the situation were still the same.

A mother overwhelmed with grief and fear that she might lose her son; a family dealing with living life partially at home and partially in a hospital bed; a stream of prayers for his recovery.

But her community had to make a decision.

Would knowing that he caused his own problem due to great neglect change how they would support the family?

Luckily, that answer was a resounding NO.

In D&C 101:9, the Lord teaches:

“Verily I say unto you, notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them. I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath I will remember mercy.”

Notwithstanding their sins.

Their sins were to blame for the situation.

And yet that still didn’t stop the Lord from being filled with compassion for them.

And that’s how I believe God is with us, too.

He isn’t only giving us His compassion and goodness if we have been perfect, not causing any of the issues we have to deal with in life.

He knows that we make decisions all the time that make life harder for ourselves.

We cause so much disconnect, jealousy, pride, anger, contention.

And yet He will still have compassion for us.

He will not leave us comfortless, even if we are to blame for the discomfort in the first place.

Mercy reigns.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black