So today is April 1st, commonly referred to April Fool’s Day where it is acceptable, and expected, to pull pranks, gags, jokes, etc., on others.
I honestly struggle with this as I do Halloween, Christmas and Easter traditions.
Is it okay for a person who proclaims Christ to participate in April Fool pranks? There are several verses that talk about let your yea be yea, what a fool is, and living with integrity. There are also verses about having a merry heart, laughter is good, etc., but at the “expense” of another?
My struggle is because for 364 days of the year I am teaching Truth, and then one day out of the year, it is deemed okay to deceive another with a prank. We tell others to live like, and for, Jesus and then we intentionally “get them” with a gag on this one day. Now, I realize that not all pranks involve deceit and so it probably comes down to the type of prank, gag, etc.; but I still struggle.
So I am open to a honest discussion of April Fool’s Day. Do you “participate”? What are your thoughts about it? Do you have scripture to support your position?
I cannot support it with scripture, but I believe that a “good” joke is okay to play on someone. Proverbs 17:22 says “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” So in my eyes, I would say that a joke is okay to an extent, as long as the person you are joking with/on doesn’t become depressed, embarrassed or humiliated. This also should go hand in hand with how the relationship is between the joker and the joke-e. You should know the person you are joking with pretty well before you cross into that territory.
It’s a bit past April 1, but thought I’d give my 2 cents. :o)
When my kids were growing up, I would “prank” them with a meal that looked like one thing, but was really another. One year I toasted slices of pound cake and frosted the “grilled cheese sandwich” with orange-colored frosting. My kids really enjoyed our tradition and looked forward to seeing what I’d do each year.
I hadn’t really thought about the subject from a theological perspective, though. Makes me stop and think…hmm.