When discussing the health care debate, and the legislation that recently passed, my great uncle wondered what the perfect plan looked like. I noted, and he agreed after some thought, that the perfect plan can never be created by imperfect man.

Think about it. We may create things that are perfect for certain situations. A working refrigerator is the perfect thing to store foods you will consume within a short period of time, for instance – milk, juice, meat, and so on. It has many flaws outside its function, though – it can’t keep ice cream, it can’t hold foods for years on end, it has limited space, and it certainly can’t cook! In fact, it does the opposite, cooling instead of warming. The refrigerator, then, is a device made for a certain purpose. It works very well for that purpose, but imperfect man couldn’t create something that worked for everything – keeping refrigerated and frozen foods at the same temperature, for years on end, and cooking them when required.

Other things are the same way. Let’s say that a plan involves someone seeing something. Obviously, a blind person needs some special way to do it. And, there is understanding, too; not everyone will be able to comprehend whatever it is.

Why can’t people create the perfect plan? For one, people are not all-knowing, so they can’t plan for every situation. Even when they do know all the possible situations (like the refrigerator), they can’t create one thing that will do everything. However, there is another, more fundamental problem. People are imperfect.

Think about climbing a mountain. You are trying to help someone else climb. If they are behind you, you can pull them up to your ledge. But, you can’t pull them to a ledge higher than you. Even if you push, you can only push them so far.

In the same way, perfection is a loftier goal than imperfection. If one is perfect, one makes no mistakes. However, someone who always makes mistakes can’t show someone how to make no mistakes. Think about the refrigerator example. Someone might try to make a refrigerator, and they can never figure out how to get the cooling system to work. It’s always causing food to spoil. Until that person is able to figure out how to make the cooling system work, they’ll never be able to teach someone else how to make it work. (Yes, they could give clues that show the second person how, much as a batting coach who was a poor major league hitter can still be a good coach. However, that is relying on the skills of the second person. Charlie Lau could help mold George Brett into a Hall of Fame hitter. But, he couldn’t have turned Buddy Biancalana into one. Brett had the skill, Lau could only help him hone it.)

It’s impossible, then, for mankind to create the perfect health care plan. It is impossible for people to create the perfect anything. Nor can people become perfect – there will always be mistakes. However, thankfully, we don’t need to wallow around in imperfect. There is something perfect in which we can trust.

Jesus is called The Great Physician for a reason. He is the God of all comfort, and he can heal anytime. He allowed us to go through difficult things at times, because that is part of ife, and it helps us to be able to comfort others. As well as helping us to draw closer to Him. (There are also times when it can save a life. My grandfather would have died in a World War Two training flight if he hadn’t caught pleurisy two weeks earlier. Instead he lived almost 55 more years.) He’ll help us through anything, if we only trust Him. He just gives us freedome to choose Him or not

Ultimately, He holds us all in His hands. Every hair on our head is numbered. Just as He sees each sparrow that falls to the earth, He sees each person who is sick, each cough, each sniffle. He cares about everyone, and what they are going through.

He has given us modern medicine to allow us to live wonderful lives, lives which, Lord willing, can be filled with good health into our 80s and 90s. But, the body eventually breaks down. That’s part of living in this world that has had every nook and cranny infected by the sin that man chose to bring into the world. And, some bodies break down much faster than others. Some people develop, or are even born with, things that challenge them every day of their lives. Ultimately, it’s God who knows what is best for us, and what our medical future will be.

That being said, since God has allowed us to create modern medicine, we should use this gift to benefit others. We can’t use it to create the perfect health care solution. Only God could crete something that was infinite, unending. His would be a system of knowing the past, present, and future for everyone, down to the finest detail. It would involve knowing what worked best for each person, as an individual, rather than a community as a whole. It would involve providing everyone with the access to life, because God is a lover, giver, and sustainer of life.

We can’t do that, because we have a finite (limited) system, which will always be run by imperfect humans. These people don’t know the future with 100% certainty, they don’t know the first time what is wrong (if anything) with each person, and they can’t predict who will get sick and who won’t, or why they will be sick. It can’t cure everyone.

We can’t create a perfect plan. However, we can be part of a perfect plan by doing the following:

1. Have a relationship with Him. It’s impossible to be part of His plan if you are not on it. The way to be on it is to simply receive His forgiveness for your sins, believing that Jesus Christ, God in flesh, died on the cross, taking your punishment for your sins, and rose from the dead.

2. Fully rely on God. He inhabits the prayers of His people. That means praying for good health, or for recovery, can help. Studies have shown prayer does give positive benefits. But, even if He doesn’t mean for you to have that, trust Him completely, knowing that He has your best interest at heart – even if it doesn’t seem like it all the time. (Like the example above of the illness that saved a life.)

3. Trust the Lord to guide us to the right place in secular matters. He allows freedom of choice so we won’t be mindless robots, but He also places secular authority over us to allow for organization. He then lets us choose within the rules. However, as noted above, different people have different needs. He lets us decide what is best for us – that’s what freedom is all about. And, when a country’s people have that right, He lets them make changes when things go wrong, in an orderly manner – such as elections, for isntance. However, He lovingly shows us that He has the best plans for our lives. And, He will open doors and point us in the right direction, if we just ask.

4. Use the voice God has allowed us to benefit others. Some are able to do a lot. Others are handicapped by finances, health, or something else, and only able to do a little. If all you are able to do is pray, write, or something else, God will still honor that you gave of yourself, your time, and your energy. Some of the most powerful people in history have been unknown prayer warriors.

5. Make use of the resources God gives. Modern medicine is just one of the things God has given us. Yes, there are rare times when He will heal someone miraculously. Most times, however, He wants us to praise Him for the medical advances we have. At the same time, we shouldn’t waste the things we have. So many people waste their health by smoking, drinking heavily, and other things. God will still forgive, of course, but you won’t be able to do what you could have if you waste it. With money, too, instead of spending on luxuries, give to missions and support a good, Bible-believing church.

6. At the same time, we must follow the advice of Hebrews 13:5: “Be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’” Don’t complain about what you don’t have, just focus on the fact that God, who sees every single cell, who has control over every atom and molecule, has promised that He will always be there for you, no matter what.

Whether you are upset about the outcome of this health care debate, remember that God is waiting for His people to call on Him for help, and to be used by Him to do whatever is needed. Remember that He will never give advice that goes against His Word. So, when on His plan, remember to follow His instruction booklet, the Bible. But, also know that once you are part of His family, He’ll never kick you out. He will always accept wayward people who return to Him, and those who remain wayward, He’ll still call home to Him when it’s time. Because, He is a perfectly loving, caring God who loves to show mercy and compassion on everyone. People just need to turn to Him for freedom from sin.

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