April 1, 2009
It's April Fool’s Day today, that day of playing pranks and silly stories. I
wondered where the custom originated and did a little digging.
One source says: "The history of April fool's day or all fool's day is
uncertain, but the current thinking is that it began around 1582 in France with
the reform of the calendar under Charles ix. The Gregorian calendar was
introduced, and New Year's Day was moved from April 1 (New Year's week) to
January 1st.
Communication traveled slowly in those days and some people were only informed
of the change several years later. Still others, who were more rebellious
refused to acknowledge the change and continued to celebrate on the last day of
the former celebration, April 1st. These people were labeled "fools" by the
general populace, were subject to ridicule and sent on "fool errands," sent
invitations to nonexistent parties and had other practical jokes played upon
them.
The victims of these pranks became known as a "Poisson d' Avril" or "April fish"
because a young naive fish is easily caught. In addition, one common practice
was to hook a paper fish on the back of someone as a joke. This harassment
evolved over time and a custom of prank-playing continues on the first day of
April.
The Bible talks a lot about "fools" and "foolishness" and none of it has to do
with April. None of it is complimentary either. The Bible talks quite plainly
about the folly of fools.
The fool
says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good
1 Corinthians 3:16-23 NIV
Don't you
know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If
anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred,
and you are that temple. Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he
is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may
become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it
is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, "The Lord
knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." So then, no more boasting about
men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or
life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are of
Christ, and Christ is of God.
Luke 12:16-21 NIV
And he
told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.
He thought to himself, `What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
"Then he said, `This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger
ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself,
"You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat,
drink and be merry." '
"But God said to him, `You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from
you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "This is how it
will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward
God."
I'm no fool when it comes to God. I surrendered my life to Christ, was
reconciled to the Father and am led by the Holy Spirit to serve Him as best I
can. I don't always get it right, but even at that I'm far better off than one
who denies God and makes no plans for eternity.
I'm no fool. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
Be blessed,
Darrel Mason