April Fools’ Day was a couple of days ago. I’m sure you had your share of pranks pulled on you and likely pulled many on others. I can’t remember pulling pranks on anybody specifically on April Fools’ Day. I do remember playing tons of practical jokes on my friends—and enemies—in high school.
Aside from April Fool’s Day I want to spend the month focusing on fools. Well, actually, on how not to be a fool. As much as we all enjoy pulling pranks, we don’t want to live our lives as though every day is April Fool’s Day.
“I Want One!”
On Monday, April 1, 1957, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), aired what would become one of the most classic April Fool’s Day hoaxes ever. They fooled their viewers into thinking that spaghetti trees were real!
They got a lot of their viewer’s attention, alright, and not all of it was positive. Many viewers complained that the BBC purposefully deceived them. Some viewers wrote the BBC inquiring as to how they could get a tree for themselves!
Be Honest–You Know You’re Seeing It?!
These days it doesn’t take much for us to see living, breathing fools right before our very eyes. It’s likely that the moment you read this someone’s name or face popped into your head. Be honest—you know you’re seeing it right now, aren’t you?
It’s sad to know that many people live their lives as fools. But what exactly is a fool? If you’ve got siblings, I’m sure you’ve called someone (or been called) “a fool” at least once in your life.
“You’re Such a Fool!”
I recall a childhood mealtime, when two of my brothers and I were sitting around the table; one of them made me mad, and I muttered under my breath, “You are such a fool!” No sooner had I breathed the words then my mother’s ninja-hearing was activated, and in the blink of an eye, she was standing over me, red-faced and waving a hot, oil-covered spatula. A spatula that she threatened to make friends with my bottom or my hand!
She loudly proclaimed, “Jesus says that we should never call anybody a ‘fool’ . . . do you want to go to hell?!” (See Matthew 5:22).
I didn’t sleep for a week.
David also said something about a fool: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’ ” (Psalm 14:1, NIV). Here a fool refers not to someone who has below average intelligence, but who lives their life with a lack of acknowledgment, recognition, and respect that God is real, in charge, and therefore, must be ultimately answered to.
It’s almost as if they live their lives with their hands over their ears and eyes tightly closed, yelling “LALALALALA. I can’t hear You God! If I can’t see You, You can’t see me!”
The converse is true. Solomon, the wisest man in the world, in the last few lines of his book called Ecclesiastes (which means literally “the preacher”) rightly preaches that:
- God is real.
- We must recognize and respect Him for who He is.
- He is in charge, and we will have to ultimately answer to Him for everything we do.
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, NIV).
Oh Yeah! Costco Carries It!
Several days ago I was searching the Costco website to see if they offered notary public services. I came across a troubling reality: you can now purchase coffins —you heard right—coffins, at Costco. It is a truism: if Costco doesn’t sell it, you don’t need it! I mean, if you need to purchase a coffin, why pay retail prices for it, right?
Costco has gotten wise to the stark and depressing reality that if Jesus doesn’t come back to get us, we will all eventually die! Solomon, the wisest person in the world, agrees and further, pondered in his diary:
All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!” (Ecclesiastes 9:2-4, NIV).
We’re All Going to Die!
We’re all going to die, so let me ask you a question: whose glory are you living your life for? Don’t be a fool and live your life as though God is dead! I hope you’re living your life in order to better know, love, and live Jesus; after all, He’s the only one truly worth living for.
Did you notice Solomon’s statement in verse four? “Anyone who is among the living has hope.” What did he mean by that? Let me put it another way: if you were to die today, could you say without a doubt that you would spend eternity with Jesus?
In 2 Peter 3:1-9, the Apostle Peter, when speaking about the “Day of the Lord” aka Jesus’ Second Coming, reminds us of this beautiful truth: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise . . . Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (verse 9, NIV).
Get it? Solomon and Peter are both saying the same thing. God is literally keeping you alive to ensure, among other things, that you not only have accepted His payment for your sin. But, are you living in a way that shows that you know, love, and respect Him? Are you sharing Him with as many people as you know—and don’t know?
Who Are You Living For?
So I ask you again: who are you living for? Because—and I don’t want to sound rude or anything, but—tomorrow someone may be headed to Costco to pick up your coffin.
Don’t be a fool. Be wise; you’ll live a more effective and more joyful life–either way you’ll have to answer to Someone much bigger than my mom, and the consequences will be much more severe than just an oily spatula on your hand or backside.
Additional Resources
The Bible Project: The Book of Ecclesiastes
