Who's The More Foolish?

Today is April Fool's Day. I hate this holiday, mostly because I am pretty gullible. I expect people to be honest and forthright, so when they try to pull one over on me, I'm thrown and less trusting. A holiday designed to encourage people to prank one another just isn't my forte. It's designed to make someone else feel foolish, and that just doesn't seem Godly or encouraging in any way to me. I know people say it's "all in good fun," but ask the pranked person if it was fun for them. If in a crowd, they may say it was and laugh it off, but it truly isn't fun at all.

I wanted to see what characteristics qualified a person as a "fool" in the eyes of the Lord, so did a little digging. According to the book of Proverbs as fool despises wisdom and instruction (1:7); is complacent (1:32); brings grief (10:1); lies and slanders (10:18); does whatever he wants (12:15); is prideful (14:3); deceives (14:8), is hotheaded (14:16), spurns parents' discipline (15:5); won't hold their tongues (17:28), is perverted (19:1); quarrels (20:3); is untrustworthy (26:6); repeats their poor behavior (26:11); and rages and scoffs (29:9). Based on this information, the one pulling the pranks on this holiday is a fool. According to Ecclesiastes 2:14 a fool "walks in darkness." And one that truly has weight with regards to marriage, Ecclesiastes 5:4 says a fool is one "who doesn't fulfill a vow."

The one that got me most however was Psalm 14:1 and 53:1 (they are identical Psalms) which begin with this verse, "A fool says in their heart there is no God." That person is the most foolish of all. We know there most certainly is an Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Loving, Creator God and we'll all one-day be face-to-face with Him.

Find ways this day to be completely opposite the fool. Seek wisdom. Be loving. Use kind words. Be humble. Work hard. Be obedient. Be trustworthy. Those are things the Lord values.

Discussion: Have you ever been pranked? Have you ever pulled a hoax on someone? How did you feel after both instances? Do you have to work on any of the foolish characteristics listed above?

Prayer: We give all glory and honor to the King of Kings this day. Thank you, Father, for wisdom. May we be diligent to seek it. In Christ, Amen.