Chris Howlett

Beyond Regret

“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb

Regret is a painful emotion. It feels like failure. No one enjoys failure. The nagging feeling of “what could have been,” of "what if," of unrealized potential can haunt us and paralyze our future. Regret is unproductive.

The enemy uses regret to keep us from experiencing victory today. We may have messed up and missed an opportunity in the past, but that doesn't mean we have to keep making the same mistake in the present. Regret does not have to win. We actually have options. We can start fresh today and experience a bright future. We can still plant a tree.

The Good News about serving God is that he forgives and repairs and retools us for the challenges we face today. Yesterday is gone. We have the present moment to begin making choices that lead to life and wholeness, contentment and peace. Victory is possible because God is in the redemption business.

So, let go of the failures of yesterday, move beyond regret, and step into God’s future of hope, healing, forgiveness, and restoration. With God, all things are possible.

Fools for Christ

“Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise.” 1 Corinthians 3:18 (NRSV)

Today is April Fools’ Day. Is it a day for fools? to celebrate foolishness? Is it a day to be foolish? Or to make others look like fools? Why do we even celebrate this day?

Well, the practice of setting aside a day for pranks seems to go all the way back to Roman times and a festival called Hilaria, where we get our word “hilarious.” It seems to have been a day celebrated in the spring of the year to rejoice at the passing of winter. If Romans knew how to do one thing, it was how to throw a party.

We generally think of the word “fool” in a negative light. Certainly the Scriptures teach that a fool is not something you want to be, except in the verse above, where Paul is juxtaposing the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. The wisdom of the world is foolishness to God, and the wisdom of God can seem to be foolishness to the world. So, if you think you’re wise according to the world’s standards, you might want to reconsider and contemplate God’s wisdom.

So, on this, April Fools’ Day, let’s be fools for Christ, persons who have, seemingly, recklessly abandoned everything for the sake of Christ and his Kingdom. When people ask why we are so happy, we can share with them that Jesus Christ has given us the one thing everyone on earth is searching for: real, meaningful, contented, and peaceful life. All other options just look foolish to us!