The Best Kind of Forgiveness
For drivers with clean records an accident no longer costs you a big bump up on your premium.
The lady backed right into your parked car. The patch of ice spun you out of control into an immovable post. The inattentive driver behind you didn’t stop until after he smashed into your now compact size trunk. Ouch.
What happens next? You’d expect a personal letter from your insurance company a few weeks later addressing you with different terms than before. Because now you’re an “at risk” driver. But that doesn’t happen. Instead, the letter comes but it basically says, “We’re sorry for this mishap. They happen. We understand. We’re keeping your premium the same and will continue to provide you the same coverage. Just be careful out there!” Nice.
It’s called “accident forgiveness” and it’s one of the perks offered by the insurance industry. For drivers with clean records an accident no longer costs you a big bump up on your premium after the dust settles.
Is there any fine print? Probably. I guessed that the accident forgiveness is an option you can add to your policy that nickels and dimes millions of customers, meaning big bucks for insurance companies. My helpfully informative State Farm agent told me such is not the case, at least with State Farm. It’s just something they do. That’s good.
But there’s more. The accident forgiveness doesn’t only apply to no-fault accidents but even to the ones where you’re the culprit. That’s better!
Before you get too eager for that next fender bender, however, there’s a catch. The accident forgiveness depends on your clean driving record. If you’ve had an accident of any kind in the last ten years or so, forget about the forgiveness. You’ve disqualified yourself.
God’s forgiveness, however, doesn’t stop there. God’s forgiveness doesn’t limit its benefit only to those with clean living records for the past ten years or ten days or ten minutes. That’s the best kind of forgiveness!
Psalm 51 says, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love.” God’s merciful forgiveness doesn’t depend on us. It depends on him. Meditate further through this very Lenten psalm and you’ll see that the Psalm writer confesses that his only contribution to the action of forgiveness is the sin part. Nothing meritorious at all.
What makes forgiveness certain even for the worst of sinners is that it depends on God from start to finish. It’s a gift. That’s why we call it grace. When we appreciate that grace, as the psalm says, our willing spirit and a pure heart don’t go out looking for sinful accidents. Instead, we live even more carefully.
Accidents happen. You are forgiven. Now be careful out there!
PRAYER: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions, wash away all my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a pure heart, O God. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit. Amen.