Mr. Gant
A break in the storm
"Everyone begins as a child by liking Weather. You learn the art of disliking it as you grow up. Noticed it on a snowy day? The grown-ups are all going about with long faces, but look at the children - and the dogs? They know what snow's made for."
"I'm sure I hated wet days as a child," said Jane.
"That's because the grown-ups kept you in," said Camilla. "Any child loves rain if it's allowed to go out and paddle about in it.”
- Jane and Camilla in That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis
This past week was picture week for Telos Classical Academy. Our scholars were dressed to the nines and brought their brightest smiles to school. It seems that God has specifically designed the Park City landscape to put all other school photos to shame. Naturally, it was time for one of the driest states in the Union to unleash a downpour. If pictures were going to happen, we had to wait for a break in the storm.
We have officially begun our study of History and Literature. I would like to pretend that the excitement in the classroom was all about our lessons, but the prospect of ending class early for a photo may have played a minor role. Our Middle School scholars began studying the Civil War and this nation’s struggle to handle the problem of slavery. Our High School scholars learned about the fall of the Roman Empire and the radical changes it brought to those in the western world. For both classes, the gloomy atmosphere outside matched the tragedy and sorrow present in our studies. Just as we waited for a moment of calm in the weather, we also long for a break in the storm of human history. Momentary relief may come from U.S. leaders like Lincoln who emphasized that slavery was a moral issue and sought to establish justice in the country. Relief may also come from leaders like Constantine who brought an end to the persecution faced by many Christians in the empire.
These moments of relief are always followed by yet another storm, another wave of sin. This is why the Bible points us toward an eternal hope, lasting rest and relief given by God himself. We know that one day “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” We do not need temporary relief, we need God to “make all things new” (Revelation 22:4-5). While we wait for this eternal relief, let us endure the storms of this life with confidence and faith. Let the rain be a reminder that lasting hope cannot be found in any human achievement, and let the break in the storm remind us of the promises of God. And maybe, just maybe, let the kids splash around in the rain. They need to know what it is for.
