Today I got to thinking about the activities and character traits we model to our kids…
We take moral training seriously for our children -in fact good morals were one of the reasons we chose to homeschool.
So when we look at the motives and results of April Fools day – it raises a few issues…
Is respect and humility something we have to do (that can seem boring) while disrespect and fooling ppl is fun?
Don’t get me wrong – I love jokes, fun and such but come to view my sarcastic humour and prankster ways as coming from my evil nature. I see it condemned in the Bible.
My view at this stage is that we can make *anything* fun. Doing the dishes, planting veggies, building a wall or fooling ppl. But what is the foundation and what are the results (especially for our kids)?
I don’t want my kids to end up like I was before Jesus changed my life – hurting ppl for fun, joking at other peoples expenses, trampling on others all over the place with no regard for how they felt. It was only years later I heard from some of them how much it affected them. And I’m sorry, very sorry that I ever did it – but after years of doing it – it can become a hard thing to break.
I think that kids are always learning and the character we show them at all times is vital. i.e. – when we are in conflict, angry at someone, treat someone rudely on the phone etc – they are learning from us. The same is true if we play a prank on someone. Say watching people trying to pick up a glued coin…the failed expectations of that child and then seeing others laugh at him / her. These things affect not only the ‘fool’ but the way the perpetrators act towards others in my experience – I have been on both sides of the fence here.
I had a friend tell me I should lighten up, labelling April fools as ‘harmless humour’ and said it was ‘showing initiative’ to prank people. But it doesn’t sit right with me – I could use that argument to justify anything – stealing cars with my kids. Initiative (which car to steal, how to do it), patience while waiting for no one to see, self control while driving to ensure the police don’t suspect…etc. But none of those character traits makes it right because it would be stealing.
To fool someone puts them below you (God says to be humble & think of people as better than ourselves) and teaches the kids it is ok to laugh at someone when something goes wrong (God says to be kind, comfort people and let all our speech be uplifting). It feels nice and funny to most on the surface but then if the person who is the ‘fool’ feels / believes something low about themselves. And sometimes it is modelling deceit / a lack of integrity – which God clearly condemns.
An example from the other day – I drove the car away as one of the kids was about to get in. We all laughed – including the person who was trying to get in. All innocent fun! But later I asked (on wise advice from Sharmini!) how that person felt. When it came down to it they were sad. Sure they could see the funny side – but the true emotion under it all was hurt. And so easy to miss & bury it, then react by trying to feel better by doing the same thing to others…
That’s what I did. Early on I used to leave buckets of water above doorways & things like that but as time went on the ‘fun’ got worse & worse for others. At times I would spend hours making prank calls, ordering pizzas to peoples houses, pretending people had won some competition and even leaving people in front of on-coming cars in an intersection while towing them…I thought it was hilarious. But recently I am seeing more & more that even finding these things funny was a serious issue – in me. I was masking my pain at others expenses.
Is it possible to ‘fool’ someone without humiliating, lying, belittling or disrespecting them? At this stage I can’t see it and therefore can’t see any good coming from it at all.
As a friend pointed out – life in a pagan society is a continual stream of ‘April fools jokes’ – being played on us. We are continually being conned / duped by things and people around us. It is vital that we, as Christians prepare our kids for what they will face in ‘the world’. But it is also important that we act in a way becoming of Christ – different from the world.
Would Jesus sit around and play jokes on or mock people or would He love & nurture them? Would He play jokes on people or encourage them? I see that sarcasm, fooling people and the like are the opposite of what God calls us to in the following verses.
I don’t claim to have the perfect balance here – but I would encourage all to take a long hard look inside if you get enjoyment from fooling / pranking others. Why is it funny? Really what makes it funny? This may be hard to see or accept if you are surrounded by it continually – for instance with the sitcom type of humour that is so popular (especially) in Australia.
If you discover that there is something inside that makes you feel better when others are fooled – look even deeper & see if you can see what is going on inside that makes you want to put others down. Or, if you have been wounded by people putting you down or other – God can walk with you in this and release you from it. We may even be able to help – have a look here
Lord show us your truth – what would you have us do, how then should we act?
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
(Ephesians 4:29 NLTse)
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children
(Eph 4:32-5:1 NLTse)
So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.
(1 Peter 2:1 NLTse)
Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.
(Proverbs 4:24 NLTse)
All who fear the Lord will hate evil.
Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,
corruption and perverse speech.
(Proverbs 8:13 NLTse)
Lord, may we be willing to be fools for you, instead of looking down on others. Please let all our speech be uplifting to all who hear us.