April 1^st  is the day when fooling others is fun. This day, a practical joke is played followed by an amused prankster yelling, “April fools!”  These jokes are harmless and are enjoyed by many.

Samson, a Nazarite from birth, liked playing jokes. His vow required no razor to touch his head because his strength lay in his long hair. This long-haired, strong man left home to fall in love with a Philistine woman. As he returned to take her as his wife, he found a dead lion and enjoyed the honey from the carcass.

Samson’s wedding feast began as was the tradition of the time. He was given thirty companions and thought it fun to present them a riddle. He promised to reward any man who could solve this riddle: Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. No man could solve the riddle.

On the seventh day, Samson’s wife enticed her husband to divulge the answer to the riddle. She wept and claimed Samson didn’t love her, so he told her the answer to the riddle. She then relayed this to one of his companions. With supernatural strength, Samson slew thirty men in his anger. His wife was given to a companion and he returned to his father’s house.

Samson weds another woman. His new wife Delilah begged him to tell her where his strength lay and he played games with her. Samson bid her to bind him with seven green withs (cords) that had not been dried, bind him with new ropes, and weave his hair into seven locks. She tried each tactic and called for the Philistines to overtake Samson, but each time his strength remained.

She whined that Samson had mocked her three times and questioned his love for her because he would not reveal his heart. Samson caved to her manipulation and revealed his strength was in his long hair. He fell asleep in the lap of his enemy, and she had the Philistines to shave his seven locks. Samson awoke with no strength and was taken captive by the Philistines who put out his eyes, bound him, and made him grind in the prison house. They made sport of Samson, but by his request, God granted him one last supernatural touch of strength. Samson pulled down two pillars and the house fell upon him, the Lords, and all the people in the house. Samson died with his enemies.

April fool jokes are fun and harmless games, but playing games with the enemy is no joke. That first drink, that first pill, that first lie, or that first act of fornication might be fun, but it is not harmless. We are too weak to lay our heads in the enemy’s lap. We may lose our strength with the Lord, be made a laughing stock, and die living among our enemies.

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? Ecclesiastes 7:17