Vol.XVII No.I Pg.8
March 1980

Stuff About Things

Robert F. Turner

Our barber shop is far from ordinary. It has a WEATHER ROCK, proudly displayed for the enlightenment of all customers. The large stone hangs from a sign which reads: "If rock is wet, rain; if swinging, windy; if it is jumping, earthquake; white, snow; if under water, flood; if gone, tornado." And it is nearly always right, too. That's more than I can say for more sophisticated weather indicators.

Of course this weather rock reads what IS. It does not fool around with what may be, or could be, or what we wish for. In this it is far more scientific than the evolutionist who is content to speculate on scraps of inconclusive evidence. It is more honest than the cultist who sees his pet in every verse, because he reads all scripture through headquarters glasses. It is more objective than vast numbers of "evangelicals" who allow their feelings to take the place of Bible teaching. It doesn't make excuses like the weather man who was late to work, and explained, "I had to dig my car out of eight inches of 'partly cloudy'." In this day of maybe, we like something positive.

Jesus had something to say about weather "prophets" in His day. They could read the face of the sky with something like the "old time" saying that has come down to our day:

"Red at night, Shepherd's delight Red in the morning, Shepherd's take warning!"

This was a general observation, subject to many variations; yet they put great trust in these "signs." But the signs of Jesus' divinity and Messiah-ship were all about them, and they could not (?) see them. They were standing in the rain, knee-deep in flood waters that would sweep away the old system and "leave their house desolate" (Matt. 23:37-38), and they thought the sun was shining and all was well. Jesus called them what they were: "Hypocrites!" (Matt. 16:1-3).

Even the "Weather Rock" will not help the self-blinded. The eye that car, look at the universe and fail to see an intelligent Cause; that looks at social corruption and fails to see the need for morals and redemption; that can seriously consider Jesus of Nazareth and not see the answer--that eye can't even see the weather rock.