There are some days that are better spent in isolation. And by isolation, I mean like a crazy hermit. No human interaction. No television, radio, or internet. Especially no social media.
Actually, I secretly wish that some people would avoid those things every day, but that’s another story.
One of my top nominations for isolation days is April 1, aka April Fool’s Day.
According to Wikipedia there are about as many theories on the origin of April Fool’s Day as there are variations of April Fool’s pranks.
I suggest that our current culture, with a propensity towards outrage and offense, is a prime breeding ground for overreacting to anything that may show up on April 1.
We should just go directly from March 31 to April 2.
Actually, April 1 is an especially significant day for me. On April 1, 1991 I became pastor of Eagle Mountain Baptist Church and started my experience of 28 years (and counting) as a resident of Azle, Texas.
I used to tell the church on my anniversary that I was their resident paid fool. I secretly hoped it would get me grace for any unintended faux pas I might commit that just didn’t seem very “pastorly.”
They were very gracious people and allowed me to grow up as a minister and as a person during the 17 years I spent with them.
On April 1, 2008 (my 17th anniversary at EMBC), I accepted an invitation to leave. I didn’t announce it for a couple of weeks because I feared that it would either be seen as a cruel joke or an answer to prayer. I didn’t want to be seen as cruel and if people were praying for me to leave I didn’t want to know.
So, a few weeks later I relocated my office from Eagle Mountain Baptist Church to Harvest Baptist Association in Decatur. Thankfully, it was close enough that I didn’t have to move anything but my office address.
Since my official start date at HBA was June 1, I was hoping that they wouldn’t consider me to be their resident paid fool.
Strangely enough, it seems that behavior is as much an indicator of foolishness as the date on which said foolishness occurs.
I’m not much of a prankster, or really even a jokester; I just notice things that are funny and sometimes feel compelled to point out the humor in them. I like to have fun and will sometimes engage in silly nonsense just to make sure everyone around me is getting maximum joy out of whatever we are experiencing together.
I’m also doing my best to be seriously foolish as often as possible. 1 Corinthians 1:21 says, “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
Some people have a hard time believing that God really does love them and that their lives really matter to Him. They have a hard time embracing the possibility that we can truly live the amazing life God created us for. It seems utter foolishness.
Some people have a hard time believing that God really does love them and that their lives really matter to Him. Click To TweetI’m just foolish enough to keep “preaching” the message (sometimes literally preaching, sometimes writing, sometimes just telling stories) because I’m convinced.
Seriously. No foolin’
Be amazing today, my friend.
