There Is a Difference between an Accident and Negligence

Note from today’s Bible reading: Exodus 19-23

Many of the instructions in the Law of Moses had to do with the treatment of one another. Any time you have people who live together in a society, problems arise from time to time when they do not treat others as they should.

Notice one of the laws: “If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall surely be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished. If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death” (Exodus 21:28-29).

Though the result was the same in both cases – someone was killed – the punishment for the owner of the ox was different. Given the unpredictable nature of animals, there is always the risk that someone around them could get injured or killed. However, if an animal was known to be dangerous, then the responsibility falls upon the owner because, knowing this, he could do something to prevent something bad from happening.

This shows us that there is a difference between something that happens by chance and failing to prevent something likely to happen. We cannot predict everything that could happen, but we need to manage risks wisely.

So remember that there is a difference between an accident and negligence. Many things are truly out of our control. Yet this is not an excuse to ignore danger and allow preventable tragedies to happen.