What do all these things have in common?
They were all Halloween costumes I proudly wore as a child.
I'll never forget the year I was a toucan. (Yes, a toucan.) My mother lovingly stapled hundreds of construction paper feathers to a black garbage bag.
That's love, folks.
I didn't live in a neighborhood so we'd always drive around to houses of people we knew looking for porch lights that were on.
Boo to the friends whose porch lights were off. They will never know the wonder of seeing a 7 year old girl wearing a Hefty bag covered in feathers.
Oh, you know. You know you've been the person to turn off all your lights, close the blinds, and hide in your bedroom watching Hocus Pocus until all the merriment of Halloween was over.
We say Bah Humbug to Halloween!
Our hearts are two sizes too small to celebrate this day.
We hate Halloween!
Don't like it!
No way!
And anyway, doesn't it have something to do with Satan and devil worship? I mean, WWJD?
Hmmmm...what would Jesus do?
For at one time you were darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Walk as children of light!
Ephesians 5:8
No matter how you celebrated in Halloweens past or plan to celebrate in Halloweens future there's always been much debate on the Christian church, Halloween and our role in it. Some churches embrace the night fully and have trunk or treat events, some hold fall carnivals, and some stay out of it altogether.
I'm not here to talk about that. I don't want to talk about church history or pagan rituals. I'm here saying let's look at Halloween as an opportunity.
In John 17 Jesus says that you and I are not defined by the world, but we still have to live here. Why? Why do we live here? Because He has given us a mission - to declare His truth to the world.
I always celebrate Halloween with the tiny thought in my brain of what does God think of all this?
And, friend, I can't answer that.
But I can respond to Jesus' commissioning of you and me. For all the evil and darkness that Satan and His evil forces claim Halloween to be, what if we claimed it for Jesus? What if we took a night meant for darkness and made it a night devoted to light?
What would Jesus do on this night?
Well, he'd take it back. Jesus has literally taken the keys to death and Hell from Satan. So let's take Halloween, too.
What if on the night when Satan feels strongest we made him tremble at the power of Jesus' Name?
Jesus says to us "the harvest is plentiful!" There are so many in our communities who don't understand the saving goodness and grace of Jesus. You have neighbors and friends who are clueless when it comes to knowing the Gospel. And you know who is supposed to tell them about it?
You are.
Jesus also tells us that the workers are few. It doesn't take a mathematician to realize that there's much work to be done in getting people to heaven and we need every one of God's people declaring His truth to our neighbors.
So this year let's be the houses that not only keep their porch lights on, but have the best candy. Let's not just decorate our yards with pumpkins, but let's invite our neighbors over and cultivate relationships. Let's extend hospitality and warmth and, well, Jesus.
Use this night as an opportunity to do your part as a harvest worker.
Don't be the house that shuts the world out. Be the house that invites it in.
This world is dark and, some believe, is darkest on Halloween.
There's not a better night to share Light. Let this night be for sharing the Name of Jesus.
Let this be the year you leave your light on.
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