Monday, April 1, 2013

Act a Fool



Today is April Fool’s Day.  Interesting that it followed Easter this year – the most important day for Christians as we remember the resurrected Christ.

Today was also our final day of spring break, and it ended up being a productive one.  I got the house organized, uncluttered our hall closet, did six loads of laundry, washed the bed sheets and remade all of the beds, went to the grocery store, visited my in-laws, and baked two packages of cookies and two packages of brownies.

But all day I kept thinking about April Fool’s Day and Easter – one a complete waste of a holiday, and the other a completely remarkable holy day.

We got together with family to celebrate Easter yesterday, and that always means taking lots of pictures.  As my sister-in-law was taking pictures of my 6-month-old nephew, I stood behind her waving my arms, making weird animal noises, and loudly fake-sneezing to try to get him to smile.  I looked like an utter fool, but his beaming smile was worth it.

This got me thinking about some other people who did very foolish things:

·      When the ark of the covenant was brought into Jerusalem, King David, wearing only a linen ephod, was “leaping and dancing before the Lord,” enraging his wife, Michal. (2 Samuel 6:20)
·      Queen Esther entered the inner court of the king’s palace – without being summoned – in the hopes of speaking to the king to intercede for her people.  Anyone coming to the king without being summoned would be put to death by law.  (Esther 4:11, 5:1-2)
·      Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus.  (Matthew 14:29)
·      Noah built an ark, without a raindrop in sight.  (Genesis 7:14)
·      The widow put two small copper coins – probably all that she had to live on – into the treasury.  (Luke 21:1-2)

These “fools” had something in common – faith.  Faith in something real, something powerful, something immutable.

If you’re going to be a fool – today or any day – at least make it count.  Be a fool for Jesus.  I am.

OK, I’m getting off my shoebox now.

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