Episode Transcript  

One

Weather Report

In two different Gospels, Jesus criticizes his listeners for being able to understand the weather, but not being able to understand the more important things that are happening.

In Matthew’s gospel, He says: “In the evening you say, ‘Tomorrow will be fair, for the sky is red’; and, in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to judge the appearance of the sky, but you cannot judge the signs of the times.” (Matthew 16:2-3)

Then He makes the same point again in Luke’s, “When you see [a] cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain—and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot—and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” (Luke 12:55-56).

What’s the point of this comparison? How is the spiritual world like the weather, and how does Jesus expect us to react to it?

Two

Signs of the Weather: Signs of Christ

On the one hand, the comparison is pretty simple: people want to know if Jesus is really the Messiah, if He is really the one who has been foretold. Is Jesus the one? Is He the savior, is He God’s representative? How can we know?

And Jesus says, essentially, “How do you know if I’m legit? If I’m the real deal? How do you know if I’m the Savior? Here’s how: you know the same way you figure out if it’s about to rain or not – you look at the evidence and you use your head. I do miracles. I tell you the complete and unvarnished truth about the human condition. I come back from the dead. I fulfill the prophecies. I establish the largest empire in human history – an empire of faith and worship. What’s the confusion here? Are you trying to tell me you can figure out tomorrow’s weather by a few subtle signs, but you can’t figure out who I am from the most staggering wonders the world has ever seen?”

And when He puts it like that, well, really, what excuse do we have for not believing in Him?

Three

The Truth Outside: Why Not the Truth Inside

Part of Christ’s critique is this: we pay attention to the truth of what is around us and below us, we learn the laws of the natural world. But why do we not learn the laws of ourselves? If we learn the laws of nature, why do we not learn the natural law that is written on the human heart?

We see that rain follows a cloud, or that heat follows a wind from the south. Why do we not see that broken relationships follow from lust? That anxiety follows from vanity? That disillusionment follows from the quest for money or power?

If we knew ourselves like we knew the weather, we would know that all our unhappiness follows from our sin, the way night follows day. And we would look for the Savior who promises salvation, who promises to heal us from our sins.

Four

Why Don’t We Care About the Truth that Matters

We care about the weather because we think it’s practical. If you have a wedding coming up, you are for sure going to be checking the weather app on your phone on a daily basis as the date gets closer. But of course, we all have an invitation to the divine wedding feast. So are we looking at the signs of the times? Not at the signs of what the weather is going to do, but the signs of our own soul. We examine the weather forecast. Do we carefully and regularly examine our own consciences?

Jesus says, “Examine the signs of the times,” but that’s not for us to watch the news to keep up on the latest geopolitical trajectory. It’s so we can watch our souls, to keep up on the trajectory of our vice and our virtue. What have you been struggling with lately? Or conversely, how has God given you some new grace lately?

Be aware of that, because those signs are signs of things to come, not only in time, but in eternity.

Five

Responsive to What God is Doing

There’s one more point to be made about comparing the weather to the spiritual world. We adapt our plans according to the weather. If there’s going to be a rainstorm, we’ll move a barbeque indoors, or maybe delay it a day. Do we do the same thing when God makes His will known through circumstance?

Suppose we have a tentative plan, or a certain goal, or objective that we’re hoping to accomplish, but as things develop, we see signs that maybe this goal isn’t going to be the best thing for other people, or even for ourselves spiritually. Are we able to adapt our plans to God’s reality? Or do we just push stubbornly ahead with our own ideas?

Jesus didn’t criticize the Pharisees for having a misunderstanding of who the Messiah would be, He criticized them for not adjusting their understanding when the Messiah actually came. They could adapt to the weather, but they couldn’t adapt to divine providence.

May God help us to be docile to His will, not just in the weather, but in all the circumstances He sends us.

Suggested Resolutions:

Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you.

• Spend time in silent reflection, listening to God’s voice and directions. When you feel called to something, don’t push it down. Take it to prayer.

• When the weather changes, we simply change our plans. This week, focus on being flexible to God’s will when your plans go awry.

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