I have two favorite months in the year. April is one of them, October is the other. I love both months for their weather. I love the weather in October, even while hating the Halloween theme of the month. I love the weather in April but laughed this morning when I remembered that April begins with a celebration of fools.
I am not sure why we celebrate fools to begin this month. It is not like fools are a rarity, they are in abundance everywhere. I have met fools in the grocery store, at a theater, at work, and yes, even at church. Fools come in all sizes and shapes, both male and female. They come from every social background, ethnic group, and educational status.
How do we recognize fools and foolishness? Our Bible contains an entire book almost solely devoted to them. Read the book of Proverbs and before too long you will have a portrait of fools and foolishness. One thing evident about fools is that they will give themselves away when they begin to talk.
“The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.” [Proverbs 15:2HCSB]
There is a saying that has been attributed to both Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain (and others) that reflects this proverb in a slightly different way. “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.”
How do we cease being a fool? Proverbs also has an answer for that. “The sensible man’s wisdom is to consider his way, but the stupidity of fools deceives them.” [14:8 HCSB]
A sensible or wise person will consider his/her way. That means we compare our way with God’s way, our thoughts with His thoughts, our will with His will. Then we chose God’s way. To reject God, is to reject wisdom and remain a fool.
While it may be “fun” to celebrate fools one day a year, to choose to remain a fool in the eyes of God has deadly consequences.
