A Tragedy Or A Blessing?

Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream. Mr. Clark & his wife worked & saved, making plans for their 9 children & themselves to travel to the United States. It had taken years, but they had finally saved enough money & had gotten passports & reservations for the whole family on a new liner to the United States.

The entire family was filled with anticipation & excitement about their new life. However, 7 days before their departure, the youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor sewed up the boy but hung a yellow sheet on the Clarks’ front door. Because of the possibility of rabies, they were being quarantined for 14 days.

The family’s dreams were dashed. They would not be able to make the trip to America as they had planned. The father, filled with despair & anger, stomped to the dock to watch the ship leave – without the Clark family. He shed tears of disappointment & cursed both his son & God for their misfortune.

Five days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland – the mighty Titanic had sunk. The unsinkable ship had sunk, taking hundreds of lives with it. The Clark family was to have been on that ship, but because the son had been bitten by a dog, they were left behind in Scotland.

When Mr. Clark heard the news, he hugged his son & thanked him for saving the family. He thanked God for saving their lives & turning what he had felt was a tragedy into a blessing.

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor