Don’t Be a Fool on April 1st or Any Other Day

We all think of April Fools' Day as a special day, although it is not an official holiday. The Roman culture had a festival named Hilaria on March 25, when no one was allowed to show any grief or sorrow. The name "Hilaria" is the root of our word hilarious. If you google April Fools' day, there are dozens of entries about how and why various countries engage in some carefree fun on this day.
 
Regardless of its origin the tradition on April first is carrying out lighthearted jokes on friends and relatives and having a good laugh. Practices include sending someone on a "fool's errand," looking for things that don't exist; playing pranks; and trying to get people to believe ridiculous things.
 
We can easily recover from a simple (albeit surprising) April Fools’ prank, but permanent foolishness about important matters can leave an indelible mark on our lives.  When we deny that our finances are in trouble, and when we deny the roots of that trouble, we are being truly and decidedly foolish.
 
Taking a long hard look at your finances can often reveal where you made foolish mistakes.  Perhaps you spent too much money entertaining friends or keeping up with the neighbors. Then there were all those impulse purchases that increased your credit card debt. Maybe you aren't paying enough attention to saving for the future.
 
Chances are these foolish mistakes make you uncomfortable, but it's hard to change and the last place you would think of seeking advice or financial counsel is the Bible.  Yet there are many wise verses in the Bible that warn us about foolishness. The warning can apply to any and all areas where we have been foolish. Here are a few for you to meditate on:
 
Proverbs 1:7, ”Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
 
Proverbs 12:15, “The way of fools is right in their own eyes, but those who listen to advice are the wise.” 
 
Sirach 21:14, "The mind of a fool is like a broken jar; it will hold no knowledge."
 
Psalm 49:10, "Yea, he shall see that even the wise die, the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others."
 
Proverbs 8:5, "O simple ones, learn prudence; O foolish men, pay attention.'
 
Matthew 7:26, "And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;"
 
Luke 12:20, "But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’"
 
1 Corinthians 15:36, "You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies."
 
Ephesians 5:17, "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."
 
Save the foolishness for April first, and if you really want to get your finances in order, follow the wise counsel you can only find in the Bible.

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