Good evening brethren, and happy Sabbath!

Deadly accident

Did you see the news this week about a pedestrian being struck and killed by a vehicle in Arizona?  What makes this horrible tragedy unique is the fact that the car was self-driving, and being operated as a test vehicle for Uber, the popular ridesharing service.

Where to start?

One of the issues holding up the legalization of self driving cars is exactly this type of scenario.  Beyond the sadness at the loss of life, there lies an difficult-to-answer question: Who is at fault? Why didn't the pedestrian use the crosswalk?  Shouldn't the software for the vehicle been able to sense the person in the roadway?  Even while the car is in self driving mode, isn't the person in the driver's seat responsible to pay attention for emergency situations?  Is it ethically responsible for a company to test this type of scenario on public roads yet?

Surely all these questions and more will be asked in the months ahead during the inevitable legal proceedings.  I don't pretend to know where the blame truly lies, or even if it lies in just one place.  But it brought a principle to mind:  If you know you are guilty of something, own up to it.  We're told this in Leviticus 5:1 (NLT), "If you are called to testify about something you have seen or that you know about, it is sinful to refuse to testify, and you will be punished for your sin."  Verses 4-5 go on to say, "Or suppose you make a foolish vow of any kind, whether its purpose is for good or for bad. When you realize its foolishness, you must admit your guilt. When you become aware of your guilt in any of these ways, you must confess your sin."

I'm not saying that somewhere, someone definitely knows who is at fault and is failing to do the right thing.  It's far too early to know, nor is it our placed to decide.  But it brings to mind an important principle for us to live by:  If there is something we know we are guilty of, we need to seek reconciliation.  This starts with prayer, and stems from there.  Perhaps extending to friends, family or co-workers.

Where it ends

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (NKJV) reads, "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

For the lady who was killed in Arizona, she will live once more when God resurrects her.  She will live in a world very different than the one she left behind.  One that lives by the principles God taught in Leviticus, and ones that He expects us to live now.  A reconciled world.

As we prepare for the upcoming Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, let's seek to fulfill our calling as members of God's family to live and truthful, and purpose filled life, seeking to be fully reconciled to Him and each other!