(Minghui.org) The recent North American winter storm in late January 2026 was devastating. At one point, it stretched nearly 2,000 miles from the Mexico-United States border to eastern Canada. Over 10,000 flights were canceled or postponed and the snow depth broke records in many areas.

This intense snowstorm made me feel vulnerable and powerless, and I wondered: Modern technology seems to have improved our quality of life, but are we safer or better off?

This reminded me of a Shen Yun performance. Because a village in ancient China had become so corrupt it was facing a major flood. Bodhisattva Guanyin disguised herself as a beggar and went there, hoping to save those who had a conscience. The villagers ignored her and some even made fun of her. A kindhearted old woman only had a bowl of rice. She gave half of it to the beggar (Bodhisattva Guanyin) and placed the other half (to show her respect) in front of Buddha’s statue.

Bodhisattva Guanyin pointed to a pair of stone lions at the village entrance and told the old woman, “When you see the lions’ eyes turn red, it means a flood is coming. Run to the mountain and you’ll be safe.” The old woman thanked her and told the other villagers. But no one believed her and some even laughed at her. But the woman continued warning everyone.

Some village ruffians decided to play a trick, and painted the stone lions’ eyes red. When she saw this, the woman ran around the village and urged people to leave, but everyone ridiculed her. The woman had no choice and fled. A flood soon came and destroyed the village.

There’s a similar story in the Bible. God saw how wicked human beings became and sent a flood to eliminate them, but Noah and his family were spared. The Roman city, Pompeii, was buried by ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. The city was known for its prostitution, slaves, and gladiatorial games. When King Francis visited an exhibition of the artifacts retrieved from Pompeii in 1819 with his wife and daughter, he was embarrassed by the obscene artworks. He had them put away, but they were brought out and shown to the public in 2000.

From the red-eyed stone lions to Noah’s Ark to Pompeii’s ashes, countless lessons have shown us how vulnerable mankind is. Who will rescue us when we deviate from moral standards and face destruction?