What was Jesus saying when he referred to the Pharisees’ ability to predict the weather?
In the evening, you say, “The sky is red, so we will have clear weather.” In the morning, you look at the dark sky and say, “It is going to rain.” You hypocrites. You can look at the sky and predict the weather, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. — Matthew 16:2–3 The Discussion Bible
I missed seeing a 25 mph speed limit sign that followed a 55 mph zone. My warning ticket said I should pay better attention, or it might be more costly next time. Why had I missed seeing the sign? I was looking at the road. Sometimes, our narrow focus can cause us to miss seeing what is right there, before our eyes.
Selective Seeing
We can miss the signs in life, not because they’re invisible, but because we’re not looking for them—or we simply don’t want to see them.
Our desires and assumptions often cloud our ability to perceive truth. Like drivers who are convinced they know better than their GPS, we can barrel through life on our own terms, ignoring warnings and instructions that would help us. This isn’t a new problem. A prophet warned Israel about their selective seeing, having “eyes that don’t see and ears that don’t hear” (Jeremiah 5:21). Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people didn’t recognize the time of their visitation (Luke 19:44).
Our spiritual blindness can be self-imposed.
Foggy Life
Life doesn’t always give us clear skies and open roads. Sometimes, finding our way is like driving through thick fog—unsure of where we are, uncertain about our next step, and straining to understand any meaningful signs.
During those times, our natural instincts can fail us. We might latch onto the wrong indicators, misread our circumstances, or take a wrong turn. This happens quite naturally when we’re desperate for direction. What looks right turns out not to be right, and it could be fatal (Proverbs 14:12). So doing what is right in our own eyes is not always a good thing.
This is where we need more than common sense. We need a lighthouse—something outside ourselves that can guide us when our vision fails. That “lighthouse” is God. His Word becomes the visible signposts we need when everything else is obscured (Psalm 119:105).
The Only Trustworthy Navigator
Just as a GPS system can access traffic data we can’t see—accidents, detours, and road closures—God has a perspective far above our own. His vantage point is eternal. He knows what lies ahead, and he graciously provides guidance, but there is a problem. We must pay attention and choose to follow his way, not just what seems to be right.
When we don’t trust him, we often learn the hard way—just like the driver who ignored the GPS’s detour warning only to wind up sitting in a traffic jam for an hour. If we want to reach the right destination, we need to trust the One who has the best route planned for our journey.
Willing Eyes and a Humble Heart
God often gives signs, but he doesn’t force us to follow them. We have free will, and with it comes the responsibility to respond—or not. Jesus used parables for this very reason. Those who had hearts to learn would dig deeper; those who didn’t care would walk away unchanged.
Signs are everywhere—but do we have the humility to recognize them?
Sometimes, it’s easier to dismiss uncomfortable truths or inconvenient warnings. But if all we do is listen but don’t act accordingly, we deceive ourselves (James 1:22). We must do what the signs say. Our spiritual growth depends on our willingness to obey what we see.
Opportunities, Warnings, and Open Doors
Signs aren’t always dramatic miracles or divine handwriting in the sky. They might be opportunities, limitations, challenges, or even people placed in our path. They might be closed doors as much as open ones. Each situation in life has the potential to point us in the right direction—if we’re paying attention.
Even our limitations can serve as signs. Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7–10) wasn’t removed, yet it became a powerful sign of God’s sufficiency. Instead of viewing limitations as roadblocks, we should ask whether they’re divine redirects.
Interpretation
Ultimately, signs are only helpful if we recognize and interpret them correctly. And for that, we need divine perspective. We need God’s wisdom, not just human insight. The signs are there.
The question is: Are we looking?
Road Signs
I passed a sign, but I gave it no glance.
I knew where I was going. This was my chance,
But the turn that I missed made me circle again.
Then I said, “I need those signs that say where and when.”
We often don’t see what’s right under our nose,
Like a bridge-is-out sign where nobody goes.
We speed through warnings and scoff at a yellow light,
And then we ask why things don’t turn out exactly right.
We might say to ourselves, “There’s no need to go slow.
This fog isn’t so bad,” while the signs faintly glow.
But fog hides the cliff, and the drop is quite wide,
And the cost of not seeing can ruin the ride.
God gives us signs, and he gives us a choice—
To follow his lead or to trust our own voice.
Pride makes us think that we know what’s best—
Until we’re knee-deep in a self-guided mess.
God speaks through Scripture, through people and pain,
Through green lights and guardrails, and thunder and rain.
He’s patient and kind. He’s not waving a stick,
But we should pay attention and maybe learn quick.
A parable here, and there a whisper in prayer—
Jesus showed us the way but won’t drag us there.
For signs are not shackles. They guide if we heed,
But they don’t override our stubborn heart’s speed.
Some signs say, “Stop,” and some signs say ,”Go,”
And some say, “Not yet,” or, “You still have to grow.”
But all of God’s signs, when we trust and obey,
Can help us go forward and not lose our way.
So look all around, in the sky or the dirt.
Signs may be subtle, so you must be alert.
If you’re lost in the fog or unsure where to be,
Just follow God’s Light. He’ll make sure you can see.
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