Life Lessons from the Titanic

Two things struck me as my dd, my father, and I toured the Titanic exhibit today:

-Small Actions Can Make a Difference
-Things that seem bad at the time can be a blessing

Small Action Can Make a Difference. This idea struck me twice during the exhibit. Once, we read about the band playing even as ship sank. Apparently, without concern for their own life they continued to play to comfort and entertain others. This seems so selfless. And I’m sure to people that realized that they were not getting onto those final lifeboats, the music they played offered some kind of consolation. The second small action was a priest that stayed behind and prayed with the passengers that had been consigned to death after the last lifeboat was launched. Compare this action with president and Chairmen of White Star Lines (the manufacturer of the Titanic) J. Brue Ismay, who bore some responsibility for the sinking and yet ensured his own survival by taking one of the few seats available in the life boats, while so many others were set to die.

What use is it,my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
James 2:14 (KJV)

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:20 (KJV)

Things that seem bad at the time can be a blessing. There were so many stories about people not getting aboard because of sprained ankles, colds, a change in plans, or, the most interesting to me, getting kidnapped. Harold Irwin was kidnapped the night before the sailing and forced to labor on a ship heading to Egypt to pay his gambling debt. I’m sure at the time, it seemed that the worst thing possible had occurred in his life. If he was a religious man, he may have prayed to be saved and not realized that God had already answered his prayer. This made me think of the many times that I may pray for specific intercession by God instead of asking for courage to accept HIS will.

Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us.
~Socrates

Lessons can be found everywhere, if we are open to see them.