A FOOL FOR CHRIST
No one knows how it actually started. Some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day began in 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. In the Julian Calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1.
People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it on April 1, became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called “April fools.” These pranks included having paper fish placed on their backs, said to symbolize a young, easily caught fish and a gullible person. (Source: History.com, March 23, 2022)
Whatever the origin, here’s what matters. For the most part, we’re far too concerned with looking foolish in the eyes of others. We wear ourselves out, pursuing the favor of people, even those we don’t know. We exaggerate our abilities, our wealth, or our physical appearance, to look better than we really are. (Ever check out a friend’s Facebook page and wonder, “Who is that person?”)
Perhaps we even resort to making others appear foolish to make ourselves look wise. Satan loves our obsession with the praise of people, tempting us to back down from speaking out when we need to, or speaking up when we need to shut up. It’s one of our biggest idols, for sure.
Consider this. Generally speaking, few people are actually thinking about us… and if they do, it’s only momentary. They’re so concerned about what others think of them, they don’t have the energy to think about us. Perhaps this seems to be a sad reality, but I find it liberating. As one who’s been far too concerned with pleasing people, it’s freeing to know that it doesn’t really matter. In 1 Corinthians 4:3, Paul states, “It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion” (MSG).
But there’s a positive aspect to looking foolish. In verse ten Paul writes, “We are fools for Christ” (NIV). Although this defies human nature, Paul is ready to play the fool in order to exalt Jesus. In the end, God’s opinion is all that matters—not how we appear to others. And that, for certain, is no April Fools’ joke!
Principle: God’s opinion of us is the only opinion that matters.
Ponder:
On a scale of one to ten, how prone are you to be concerned with what others think of you?
What steps can you take to become more concerned with what God thinks of you, rather than what others think?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study 1 Corinthians four.
Prayer: “Lord God, thank you for freeing me from concern over the opinions of others. Help me to live in that reality.”