Happy April Fools' Day! Today we celebrate the things that are foolish in the eyes of the world.
To be made a fool means to have put your trust in the wrong things. To be made a fool means that you've been found out to be wrong. Maybe you thought someone would prove reliable, and it turns out they aren't. Maybe you thought a certain job or certain resource would solve life's problems, and you've been disappointed, and you feel foolish. Maybe you wonder if you're a fool because you're pursuing something different than the rest of the world is chasing.
In the beginning of 1 Corinthians, Paul is talking about how the Gospel is foolish in the eyes of the world. The world trusts in strength, power, and riches. The world looks to beauty or popularity as to what makes people great.
But Christians look to Jesus Christ, who was crucified on the cross between two criminals, and we worship him. The world thinks us to be fools, but Jesus is the only person in human history to have correctly predicted his resurrection and been proven to be right. Jesus has defeated death... and Paul is telling us that in the end, those who pursue the wisdom of the world at all costs will be the ones found to be fools, while those who follow the path of Christ and opt for selfless love and generosity and kindness, even in the face of death, will be found to be wise.
So if you sometimes wonder if you've chosen the foolish path, imagine yourself planted in the garden and staring into the empty tomb, laughing in the face of death as you realize that Christ has broken free and turned death into a gardener. Drink in the richness of the hope you have in the eternal life that God is able to offer you, and go out into the world confidant that no matter how foolish it may seem, in the eternal wisdom of God, we have placed our trust in the right place!
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