Seven Rules for Claiming a Miracle

 (1) It only takes one survivor. The number of fatalities is irrelevant. As long as at least one person survives, it’s legitimate to claim a miracle.

(2) If there is no readily apparent natural cause for people surviving, then it’s appropriate to claim a supernatural cause—it was a miracle.

(3) Miracles apply to all degrees of survival. If someone is seriously injured but eventually recovers, it was a miracle that she didn’t die. If someone is slightly injured, it’s a miracle that he wasn’t seriously injured or even killed. If someone is unharmed, it’s a miracle that he wasn’t harmed or even killed.

(4) Close counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and miracles. If a tornado wipes out your next-door neighbor’s house but not yours, it’s a miracle your house was spared. If a driver runs a stop sign while texting and wipes out the car right in front of your car, it’s a miracle you weren’t involved in the accident.

(5) Miracles aren’t offset by training, preparation, or modern, well-designed equipment. If a pilot is able to safely land a disabled airplane, it’s still a miracle, regardless of whether the pilot had decades of flying experience and numerous hours in a flight simulator preparing for such a situation. If well-trained and well-equipped rescue squads, law enforcement personnel or fire fighters save lives in the execution of their assigned duties, it’s still a miracle that lives were saved.

 (6) When righteous people perish, it can still be miraculous that unrighteous people survive. God has his reasons.

(7) Miracles don’t apply when the consequences are bad, no matter how outside of all reasonable odds or how supernatural an event may seem to be. Miracles must not be given a bad name. Good consequences come from miracles; bad consequences come from bad luck or immoral living.