Thursday, October 11, 2012

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. -Romans 12:2

Okay let's keep Halloween real and in its proper perspective.  Seeing little chunky kids and pets dressed up in costumes are adorable. Seeing pumpkin candy corns make me smile as does decorating with my fall collection..mums, leaves, pumpkins.  I love the change of seasons.  But there is a true concern for those who worship this holiday and declare it as their favorite with the skull bones and worse. Truth is Halloween is a dark holiday known as a pagan holiday honoring the dead and evil spirits. So to a believer, it is not celebrated because of that fact. In fact when we participate in Halloween, we unknowingly steal glory from God by celebrating things of the devil.  I grew up looking forward to trick or treating because it represented my brother, my sister, and me dressing up and going til dark carrying our pillow cases (yes back then you got full sized candy bars in droves) to every local neighborhood with our Mom in tow and then coming back and making piles of all our duplicate candies ready for trade and consumption. Nothing but innocent and wonderful memories I will cherish always. But I do see how it has gotten dark over the years with towns now calling curfews and rules. Kind of sad and as an adult Christian woman I have to say it no longer has the same innocence to it. With all the propaganda of it being a billion dollar industry I doubt it will lose its fire anytime soon but we can do what we can to keep our beliefs known during this season. Take the opportunity to share your faith with kids and teach them about the true One that you celebrate. And watch the power of God. The Lord tells us in Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose. So I say let's use this platform to honor God by spreading the gospel and when someone asks what you are dressing up as for Halloween you can exclaim, "a fisherman for God". Now that is a costume to be proud of.