“Ooh, Mama. Look at that pink sky,” my youngest pointed as we drove to school. “It’s so pretty.”

The Warning

Immediately, I was taken back to a conversation with my husband over a decade ago. “The sky is absolutely gorgeous this morning,” I told him. “I think I’m going to leave the top to my Jeep under the barn and enjoy the view on my way to Granny’s today.”

“That’s a really bad idea,” my husband responded. “Haven’t you ever heard the old saying, ‘Red sky in morning, sailor take warning, red sky at night, a sailor’s delight?’”

“Nope. I haven’t. There’s no way rain is coming on a day like today. I’m going. And nothing will stop me from enjoying my day.”

“Alright, don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’re going to get wet.”

When evening comes, you say, “It will be good weather because the sky is red.” And in the morning, “Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.”

~Matthew 16:2-3 CSB

God continues to amaze me. He gives clues in nature to let us know what to expect. Even folks during Bible times knew, but did I listen? Of course not. I pressed on in complete ignorance.

The Storm

I headed to Jasper to visit my grandparents—my jeep doorless and topless. Whisps of pink, strokes of orange, all woven together with purples and yellow occupied my view. The air was at a perfect temperature, and I knew it was going to be a fantastic day.

Until it wasn’t. When I ventured home after lunch, that gorgeous display of clouds turned into dark, maniacal puffs of disaster. Thunder boomed. Lightning flashed. A trickle of rain quickly turned into a torrential downpour. I leaned forward under the sun visor, desperate for any protection from the rain. But big, fat rain pelted me with no reprieve.

My eyes darted left and right at the properties along the road, hoping for a vacant carport or garage. But there was no place to stop. Then my accelerator stopped engaging. I pushed. I stomped. The jeep sputtered. It slowed. For twenty miles, it made a hoogiduh, boogiduh sound and never got over thirty-five miles per hour. And my poor windshield wipers desperately tried to keep up, barely making the road visible as I tried to shield my face from the pelting rain under the grossly inadequate visor.

Finally, I saw the shelter of a gas station and pulled in. I was saturated. Water dripped off every part of my body. Shoes sloshed and squeaked as I moved and walked. But I had made it out alive. Soaked, but no permanent damage. Well, unless you count the ego part. My husband would never let me live this little adventure down.

The Lesson

As my son noticed the pink sky, I snickered to myself. Pride runs deep, doesn’t it? Stubbornness can be a good thing when it helps us overcome the impossible, but it can also leave us drowning in the rain when we aren’t humble enough to accept advice and wise counsel.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

~Proverbs 12:5 ESV

Therefore, remember, “Red sky in morning, sailor take warning.”

Make sure you heed wise counsel instead of succumbing to stubborn pride.

Father, please help me listen to the wise counsel of friends and family. Please point out the red flags all around, expose my stubbornness, and teach me to listen and not rebel. Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2025: Red Sky in Morning: Christy Bass Adams: All Rights Reserved.