Tobit 6:1-5: a reflection

1Now as they went on their journey, they came at evening to the river Tigris, and they lodged there. 2But the young man went down to wash himself, and a fish leaped out of the river, and would have swallowed up the young man. 3But the angel said to him, “Grab the fish!” So the young man grabbed the fish, and hauled it up onto the land. 4And the angel said to him, “Cut the fish open, and take the heart, the liver, and the bile, and keep them with you.” 5And the young man did as the angel commanded him; but they roasted the fish, and ate it. And they both went on their way, till they drew near to Ecbatana.

As Tobias travels with his companion, he goes down to wash in the river, and a fish leaps out that would have harmed him. But at the angel's word, he seizes the fish and hauls it to land; and the angel tells him to keep its heart, liver, and gall, for they will later become the means of healing. What had leaped out to harm Tobias becomes, under the guidance of God's messenger, a source of healing and help. The very thing that threatened him is turned, by God's providence, into a means of good.

Notice the turn: what threatened harm became, by God's guidance, a means of good. The fish had come at Tobias as a threat, something that would have harmed him; but seized and kept at the angel's direction, it became the means of healing later on. What had appeared only as a danger was turned, under God's guiding hand, into a source of good. The threat became a blessing; the very thing that seemed to endanger became, in God's providence, a means of help. God turned the threatening thing into good.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can turn what threatens us into a means of good. Things come at us as threats, dangers, troubles that seem only harmful; and we can see in them only the threat. But God can turn what threatens us into a means of good, as he turned the threatening fish into a source of healing for Tobias. When something comes at you as a threat or trouble, do not see in it only the harm; God can turn even what threatens you into a means of good, under his guiding hand. Trust that God can take the threatening things, the troubles and dangers that come at you, and turn them, in his providence, into means of good and even healing, as he turned the fish that would have harmed Tobias into the source of his later healing; the threatening thing, in God's hands, can become a blessing.

Lord, as Tobias travels with his companion, he goes down to wash in the river, and a fish leaps out that would have harmed him. But at the angel's word, he seizes the fish and hauls it to land; and the angel tells him to keep its heart, liver, and gall, for they will later become the means of healing. What had leaped out to harm Tobias becomes, under the guidance of your messenger, a source of healing and help. The very thing that threatened him is turned, by your providence, into a means of good. Show me the turn: what threatened harm became, by your guidance, a means of good. The fish had come at Tobias as a threat; but seized and kept at the angel's direction, it became the means of healing later on. What had appeared only as a danger was turned, under your guiding hand, into a source of good. The threat became a blessing. Take that to my heart, for you can turn what threatens me into a means of good. Things come at me as threats, dangers, troubles that seem only harmful; and I can see in them only the threat. But you can turn what threatens me into a means of good, as you turned the threatening fish into healing for Tobias. When something comes at me as a threat or trouble, keep me from seeing in it only the harm; you can turn even what threatens me into a means of good. Help me trust that you can take the threatening things, the troubles and dangers that come at me, and turn them, in your providence, into means of good, Lord.