Fool for Christ?

I had intended to write on the theme of proctrastination, but I've decided to leave that until another day!

I've been thinking about the fact that today is April Fool's Day. I've always been one for practical jokes. Isn't it true that many people take themselves far too seriously? April Fools Day used to be one of my favourite days of the year, bringing as it did the challenge and opportunity to play tricks on friends and family. I'm not sure why, but as I have grown older, I have tended to make less use of April Fools Day. I have to admit, however, that one of my church members received a letter from Buckingham Palace this morning advising them of their knighthood!

St Paul, writing to first century Christians in Corinth, stated, "We are fools for Christ's sake." (1 Corinthians 4:10). In the eyes of many, to follow Jesus looks like a foolish thing. I guess that when I took the decision over 20 years ago to give up my potentially lucrative career as a chartered accountant to train as a Methodist Minister, there were some who thought that I was being a fool. To a society which constantly urges us to "look after no. 1", to live the Christian life of self sacrifice and service seems very foolish. It can seem foolish for a person to give control of every part of their life to God. Yet, paradoxically, it is by giving up our lives to Jesus that we truly discover what life is really all about.

Speaking personally, I'm happy being a fool for Christ!

If this subject interests you, you may like to look up an article on Wikipedia: click here.