It is known as “April Fool’s Day”. The origins of such are uncertain with several speculations ranging from a changed calendar to others who suggest it goes all the way back to Noah. The only sure thing is that nobody seems to really know. That actually seems appropriate.
This year, April 1 is both April Fools’ Day and Maundy Thursday. The convergence speaks. Maundy Thursday commemorates the upper room meal of Jesus with his disciples. During that meal Jesus spoke of his pending betrayal, and then instructed Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
Not many would debate that Judas was a fool. For thirty silver coins he betrayed Jesus to the authorities. Within hours Judas realized his foolishness. He threw the money back at those who had given it to him. Then, tragically, he killed himself. He sold out his friend, the Son of Man. In so doing he had sold his soul. It was the all-time foolish trade. He bartered the Ultimate for the immediate. Unfortunately, he was not the last to do so.
In contrast to Judas are many others. One of those would be Jim Eliot, a young missionary pilot, who was killed at the young age of 28 by those to whom he had come to share the good news of Jesus Christ. His story is both heart-rending and inspiring. The year after Eliot had graduated from college he had written in his journal, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
With that in mind lived and died a few short years later.
He was no fool.
Easter and Eternity bear that out.