It’s the season of unsettled weather. And we have to live through it. How are we going to do that?
The weather holds some answers.
Surviving dangerous weather
There’s a scene at the end of “Twister,” the 1996 movie starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, who played storm chasers Jo and Bill Harding.
With a monster tornado on their heels, they run across a field to a pump house where they tie themselves to the plumbing with a leather strap as the tornado destroys the building around them, pulling their legs straight up into the center of the twister.
Movies don’t always depict reality very well. How in the world did Jo and Bill run away from a tornado that picked up and flung a full fuel tanker? How did they survive in the pump house without even a scratch? Who says good cinema has to be realistic?
In real life, however, we shouldn’t think we can save ourselves from destruction with a leather strap wrapped around plumbing, much less run away from an F-5 tornado tapping on our shoulder.
So, what are we to do in real life?
As Christians, we believe we are to face the storms of real life by tying ourselves to Jesus and God’s word. The world sees that as so much unrealistic cinema. If we’re honest, we’re tempted to agree—especially when we’re dangling helplessly with our legs pulled up to the sky.
But this isn’t the movies, and real life doesn’t follow a screenplay. In real life, people have survived the storms of life for nearly two millennia by tying themselves to Jesus, and longer than that by tying themselves to God’s word. We can do the same.
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A quick scan of the weather
We don’t have to look beyond the last week to see how unsettled our weather is. Several events of the last week reveal ample atmospheric instability.
On April 21, President Trump read 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 during the weeklong America Reads the Bible event. Some strongly criticized that particular choice.
On April 22, two events occurred on the Baylor University campus. These events had drawn strong criticism.
On April 25, planned talks between Iran and the United States didn’t happen, leaving the outcome of the war still unsettled.
Also on April 25, a shooter attempted to enter the ballroom where the National Correspondents Dinner was being held. President Trump and others were evacuated.
That same night, severe thunderstorms spawned two tornadoes that damaged the Springtown and Runaway Bay communities and killed two people.
On April 28, King Charles III addressed the U.S. Congress, a signal event. He referenced the importance of Christian faith.
And that same night, more severe weather spawned at least one tornado in Mineral Wells, not far from the April 25 tornadoes.
This is just a handful of the causes and symptoms of current instability. A couple of them tell us how to survive unsettled seasons.
Truth in reporting
News, analysis, and opinion can sometimes obscure important truths we should take from what’s happening around us. Consider the following.
Critics of Trump reading the passage from 2 Chronicles 7 have said his reading of it is ironic or corrupted. They have said he ought to humble himself and turn from his own wicked ways. Some have discounted his reading as serving Christian nationalist aims. Perhaps, and yet, these accusations don’t remove our own need to humble ourselves, to pray to God, to seek God’s face, and to turn from our wicked ways. How are we doing with that?
Addressing House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Southern Baptist, King Charles said, “For many here, and for myself, the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us, not only personally … but together as members of our community.”
Some question what King Charles means by “Christian faith.” His statement is couched in a political speech seeking support from the United States. Does he also have political ends for citing Christian faith in that setting? Perhaps, and yet, his meaning and purpose doesn’t change the fact the core and substance of Christianity is a firm anchor.
And the core and substance of Christianity is not mere principle, faith, or religion. The core, substance, and origin of Christianity is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God with us, the Word who was in the beginning, who died and rose again, and who is for all time and eternity. Whatever Charles’ faith is, what—or who—is the substance of our faith?
This is to say nothing of how the body of Christ, through people like Texans on Mission, is helping storm survivors begin to recover. In Christ, there is help during and after our storms.
Surviving this unsettled season
“Twister” is a thriller, part fantasy and part reality. In that respect, it depicts the current season pretty well. The present moment isn’t boring, even if we don’t want to call it “thrilling.”
The reality is, significant things are at stake. We have reason to be concerned about what is happening in our homes, our schools, our churches, our communities, our country, and our world.
The fantasy is, our faith and how we live our lives don’t matter, prayer is a crutch, and God’s word isn’t important.
As improbable as it seems to a world lashing itself to the plumbing, trusting and obeying God is the surest way, not to escape the storms of life, but to survive them.
The winds are swirling, nipping at our heels. To where, to whom are we running?
If those swirling winds do happen to be literal, not figurative, seek the Lord from the sturdiest shelter you can find.
Eric Black is the executive director, publisher, and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.
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