April Showers Bring May Flowers

It’s funny the rhymes we were taught when I was a child. We thought they were just for fun. Later I learned most of them had a deeper meaning than we knew. “April showers bring May flowers” is one of many rhymes we learned. But there are others.

Rhymes Based On History

Ring around the rosies
Pocket full of posies,
Upstairs, downstairs. 
Guinea, guinea, squat.

This verse has other versions, but usually children hold hands, dance in a circle as the verse is sung, and squat down or fall down at the end. As an adult, I learned this verse is a reference to the Black Plague in London, how death came and what people did because of it. I was horrified that children are taught such a verse! But as children, we had no idea of the history. It was simply a rhyme, and it was fun to us to sing, dance, and play outdoors. We were innocent to the trials faced by folks during that epidemic.

Rhymes Focused On The Future

Some rhymes are taught to help us learn a truth about the world in which we live, a truth that will help us look ahead.

Red at night, sailors delight.
Red in the morning, sailors take warning. 

The wonderful truth about this verse is that Jesus spoke about this very truth when He walked on earth.

He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Matthew 16:2-3

What depth of truth can be found in that one verse. Not only does it teach us how to tell if a day will be pleasant or not. But this verse can also remind us God places signs all around us. He wants us to discern where we are in His timetable. He wants us to know the signs of the times.

Rhymes To Encourage For Today

Some verses teach us about our past. Some help us discern the future. And some rhymes simply encourage us in our present moment.

April showers bring May flowers.

Short and sweet. Teachers and parents use this verse to help children accept that rain in April is necessary for the flowers God will bring forth in May. But rains often come other times than April. And so it is in all of life.

Years ago a friend stitched a poem for me. I’ve never forgotten the saying.

The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned

Rain is often like dark threads in our life. Bright threads show off against dark threads woven amongst them. And flowers bloom bright because of the rain God knows they need.

God’s Comfort In It All

Our Father is not ignorant to our plight on this earth. He holds us while we hurt, comforts us while we weep, shines His light of love into our darkness. And after the rain, He showers us with the joy of flowers in bloom.

Take heart, all of you who may be hurting. Cling all the more to the One who made you and loves you with an everlasting love. Remember the character of Jehovah, the One who sent His only Son to the world to die for us, because He loves us.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! (Psalm 30:5)

Whatever your days bring, remember, “April showers bring May flowers.” Our Father makes it so.

Trust ye in the LORD forever, for in the LORD Jehovah is everlasting strength.

Isaiah 26:4

To paraphrase Psalm 62:1, My soul finds rest in God alone; in Him is my Salvation. And that is where I am resting. Enjoy this song based on Psalm 62, if you have time.

April showers have come. May’s flowers are on their way.

(Scripture: KJV; Photos: Taken by Carolyn Thigpen, Grayson, GA, April, 2022)