Take God seriously on April Fool's

This Friday is April Fool’s Day; I hope everyone survives. The origin of this holiday has been widely disputed, and it’s considered an official holiday only in Odessa, Ukraine. I wonder if they have a trick up their sleeves planned this year.

Anyway some biblically non-scholars centuries-ago connected April Fool’s Day with Noah releasing the first dove from the ark before the water had receded, stating it occurred on April 1 and calling it a foolish move on Noah’s part.

First, the biblical account gives Noah’s reasoning for sending the dove out, which seems valid to me (Genesis 8:1-12). Nonetheless, it seems some also consider the release to have been Noah’s prank on the dove and celebrated April 1 by sending others on senseless errands (I’ve sent my children to the mailbox on national holidays – it’s fun and harmless!).

Laughter is medically good and appropriate fun is a reward from God (Proverbs 17:22; Psalm 126:1-6). But we must be sure we don’t take advantage of the less fortunate or crush the spirit of our “victims” with our pranks. Otherwise, while the word, “Fool” in April Fool’s Day usually applies to both the victim and the prank, it also could turn out to include the prankster (Leviticus 19:14; Proverbs 17:5; 1:22-27).

Jesus said calling anyone a fool puts one in eternal danger (Matthew 5:21-22). My brother was concerned that one puts him/herself in danger by judging another in regard to their salvation. First, he knew the fool says in his heart there is no God – no one who will judge us and to whom we will give an account for our actions – and by calling another unsaved, we’re probably committing both sins of calling them a fool and putting ourselves on God’s judgment seat (Psalm 14:1-3; 9:4; 2 Corinthians 5:10; John 12:44-50; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10; you may have heard April 1 called Atheists’ Day).

In my opinion, we shouldn’t be worried about our own salvation when we show concern about the salvation of another who professes being a Christian, but isn’t living the life because we are to make that sort of righteous judgment in all humility out of love for each other as a matter of true godliness (Matthew 7:1-5; Galatians 6:1-5; John 7:24; 8:16).

God considers our salvation and privilege of spending eternity with him of such importance that he gave up his own son for us (John 3:16-17). He is serious about that, and we should be as serious about ours and others’ salvation. Lot’s prospective sons-in-law thought he was joking when he warned them about God’s plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and his wife didn’t think it would matter if she took a peek at the destruction. But God wasn’t joking in either case or about the fact of Jesus’ return, at which time all people will be judged (Genesis 19:12-26; Luke 17:20-36: 2 Peter 3:1-12).

Don’t be foolish about your salvation; take God seriously on that matter!

Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected].