Jesus to the Trick-or-Treaters 

Halloween is likely the one night a year that strangers visit our homes expecting kindness. How do we embrace the opportunity?

First, let us conquer the elephant about the subject.  I’ll share my own experience first, friends.  

My mom is a woman full of joy.  My childhood was one that focused on the ways of God.  When it came to trick or treating, we enjoyed dressing up as “happy things.”  

My mom often said, “We don’t do yucky or scary Halloween.”  That’s all there was to it.  

Our church had a funny little celebration that we visited each year to tour Bible scenes and play carnival games.  We dressed up as fun characters, future careers, sports figures, and princesses.  We visited relatives, friends, and collected a good variety of chocolate.  We made caramel apples and decorated pumpkins with funny, toothless smiles.  The end.  

We were teenagers before we encountered the creepy ways of Halloween.  That wasn’t my cup of tea.  I visited one  (maybe two) haunted houses and threw up on the way from the anxiety of it all. Clearly, I’m a happy celebration kind of girl.  I don’t give any time to darkness.  {This is not to say that I am without sin.  I sin…too much.  This is only to say that I don’t find darkness entertaining.}  No, thank you.  Happy works for me.

I’m all about standing by one’s own convictions.  If you feel convicted about it, go with God.  If Halloween feels very dark to you, your experiences have been different from mine but you have your own responsibility to stay true to your heart on a matter of “sin or not sin.” 

It’s true what we learn in Romans 14 about sin, and we each have to examine our own hearts. I love these verses.  God looks at our hearts.  In the same way, we each must examine our own hearts and live accordingly.  Arguing over things that differ in each heart is simply ineffective.  Let us review.

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.  You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister?  Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:  

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in th way of a brother or sister.

I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.  

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.  So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

~Romans 14:1-23 NIV 

I actually consider this to be a Biblical “unthumping.”  

May these words of scriptural truth offer your heart freedom and peace with graceful reassurance. May we all look deeply into our own hearts to examine our reasons for celebrating festivities and may we rest knowing that our various decisions can glorify God when the meditations of our hearts are pure.  

Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus. Let us not argue with one another over personal convictions, but rather let us be sure that our own decisions are ones that would be pleasing to our Heavenly Father. We will all give an account to Him. I want to stand before Him one day and say, “I have delighted my heart in You. I have lived with the desire to bring You glory.” {I will also give an account for my sins…but that’s a different day and a dozen different posts.} Let’s carry on, good readers!

With all elephants behind us, let us consider the ways we can show love to those we encounter on October 31st!  What a wonderful opportunity for those who hand out candy or visit others to show kindness! May we be like Jesus to the trick-or-treaters: compassionate, joyful, and kind!

May we be generous with what we have to give. May we offer warm smiles to all who enter our presence. As an elementary school teacher, I know all too well that many children rarely hear kind words or see an appreciative smile. Let us not be the grouchy candy-hander-outers but rather let’s be the ones who smile warmly and speak encouraging words:

 “What a fun costume you have!” 

“I can tell you are a good big sister!” 

“You have great manners!”

To parents, we might encourage, “Enjoy your family time! Have a fun evening together!”

Perhaps, we will give the child with sad eyes an extra scoop of candy.  May we assume the best of the children and parents we see on this rare occasion. May we be compassionate and understanding of the child with special needs.

The child who doesn’t say, “Thank you,” may be shy or even unable to speak. The child who takes more than his share of candy may not be greedy. He may be hungry for food or starved for attention. We just never know what someone may be experiencing in their own lives.

Some children are in desperate need of our generosity, forgiveness, and graciousness.

All people are in desperate need of our Savior.

May we shine His light so brightly that all who come into our presence see a glimpse of the goodness of God!

When the whole world seems to feel so dark, may the people of God be the radiant flicker of hope that is anchored securely in Jesus Christ.

May we carry His light to a dark world.

From my heart to yours,            

~Courtney