Fools no more.

"The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." (Psalm 14:1, NIV)

I suppose you have heard the not so endearing joke about atheists and their own holiday. The joke finishes by identifying April Fool's as their day of celebration. April Fools is a day that has so many twists and turns. Pranks and deception are part of the day and part of the game. Some tricks are fun and some are not. Yesterday I saw a major car manufacturer was going to produce all their pick-ups as electric vehicles by 2019. I thought how awesome that would be, clicked the link, then discovered it was a hoax. Doh!

I dabbled in deception of my own on April Fools day and all for a laugh, though not everyone thought it funny. First my beard was going to be shaved, then a picture of my shaved face verified it was gone, and then the beard reappeared. Well, it was a good April Fool's joke. Right? I had fun with it. Oft times, we engage in foolish activities. While not usually sinful, these endeavors are time wasters and in some cases, relationship eroders.

God has offered us wisdom and direction in His Word and we do well when we tap into these passages. God always informs, instructs, and never tries to fool us. We tend to lean toward foolishness. Most days when we walk our own ways, hardship and turmoil are at the door ready to befall us. It doesn't have to be this way. Take a look.

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:1-7, NIV)

Notice that even when we were/are willing to be foolish and do our own thing, God desires to intervene and "save us" but always through our receiving Christ as our Savior. God doesn't force His grace on us, but freely offers it. Note also that nothing we can do or offer to God saves us. The saving all comes from the Lord and always through Jesus. He loves you and me with an undying love and wants us to know it, internalize it, and live it. Foolishness was our life before Christ. We need not be fools anymore.