There is nothing about this "holiday" that I enjoy. Most of it is just personal preference, like I don't like dressing up in costumes, and I'm really picky about candy. I don't like masks, and I hate scary movies, haunted houses, and scary things in people's yards. There is also the overall evil feeling that comes with this time of year. The sense that people can act in a way they wouldn't normally because its Halloween.
I could go on about the things I hate about this day, especially all the truly evil stuff that does actually happen on and around this day.
But I feel like Jesus is asking me to rethink how I spend this day.
Relevant magazine put out a great article dealing with this called: "Why Christians Can Celebrate Halloween". I really encourage you to read it.
Halloween is a dark holiday. It is. Maybe not for everyone, but there are terrible things that happen on Halloween, not to mention the overall celebration of evil and death, something completely opposite of what Christ stood for...
But Jesus chased us, even though it meant he had to die. He chased us even though it took him to parties at tax collectors houses, eating dinner with "sinners" and hanging around prostitutes. He was associated with the worst of his time. He was friends with people totally opposed to his Father's Law... people who really didn't care about God or anything to do with him.
He loved. He set free. He brought light into darkness. He healed. He cast out demons...
I don't want to "celebrate" Halloween, but I feel like Jesus is asking me to be with people today, to be light in the darkness... like the Relevant article said, there is no other day where neighbors are so welcoming. Where neighborhoods actually embrace each other.
Shouldn't Christians be a part of that?!
Shouldn't we walk the streets with our neighbors, welcome them to our home and give them some love through chocolaty treats?
So this year we are taking our oldest daughter "trick-or-treating" with some of our neighbors that have made it clear they are not Christians. Are we going to get to talk to them about Jesus? Maybe not, but we will get to show them Jesus' love. Will we take this opportunity to explain to them how evil Halloween is? Absolutely not! We will be with them, prayerfully asking God to love them through us.
Maybe we'll get the chance to tell them a "spooky" story of Jesus casting out demons, but I just pray that God loves them through us tonight.
So if you chose not to celebrate Halloween, that's great, but pray for those that are. Pray that they come to get a glimpse of God's love tonight. Pray that those Christians you know that are participating in some festivities will be able to share Jesus' insanely wonderful, perfect, and complete love with those around them. Pray for protection...
And maybe, at least open your door and say hi to some of your neighbors. Jesus did say the world will know us by the way we love...
Peace.
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