Almonds, anyone?

With April's Fools Day just around the corner - I wonder how many of us will attempt to pull a practical joke on someone.
Even though I think that I have a pretty good sense of humour, practical jokes aren't my specialty. Oh, I try, and sometimes I'll have some success, but for the most part - I just sit back and enjoy what other people try to do.
I recall a time when at Bethany Bible College, a friend of mine - who we'll call Kirk Perry - offered some almonds to me. Now if you know me, I enjoy eating most kinds of nuts (cashews being my favorite). I ate them and enjoyed them. However, as I was gobbling down this treat, I kept thinking that there was a slight hint of chocolate to these almonds. Oh well, nothing too serious. Well, it turns out that this friend of mine - who pastors on Grand Manaan - had originally had chocolate covered almonds, sucked off all the chocolate and gave them to me; pretending to be kind and generous. You can imagine my disgust when the truth came out.
That is an example of a practical joke that got completely out of hand. Well, to be honest, if it had been me giving them away, I too, would have thought it to be quite funny. Kirk, I hold no hard feelings - it was a good joke. However, humour can sometimes be lost on us if we're the brunt of the joke.
It's interesting how our words or actions can affect other people. I am saddened that sometimes we in the church say or do things towards others that are not uplifting, edifying or encouraging - but rather slanderous, painful and outright wrong (dare I say evil?). James reminds us in 3:10, "My brothers, this should not be." As opinionated and self righteous as we might like to think we are, God's word reminds us to consider others before ourselves. What does this mean? If I wouldn't want to eat disgusting almonds, then I shouldn't pass them on to others, either. It is easy to get uptight about what someone might do - or what I might perceive them to be about...but as a Christian - a follower of Jesus - then I need to lay down my selfish need to be right, or in control, or judgmental. I need to be a builder, not a destroyer.
If we put both verse 9 and 10 of chapter 3 together, James states, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be."
With April Fool's approaching, will we allow ourselves to be reminded of ways in which we've slandered, gossiped, lied about and caused pain to another - and correct that wrong? It's time to stop being a fool and be a true follower - of the Master.

What do you think? Hit the comment button to let me know.

"Sends Revival, Start with Me"

Pastor Ken