What to do... Halloween

The end of October is fast approaching and that means a day that I dislike - Halloween. There is a lot of junk connected to this day. Stuff I really don't want to be a part of.

In the last 15 - 20 years there has been a process started by Christians which is the thought that we can "redeem the day." It is the idea that churches host a Harvest Festival or Trunk and Treat so children can enjoy a safe place to have fun dressing up and getting candy. While I understand the thought process behind this, my beliefs (and I say "my" so everyone knows they do not need to agree) is that this day should not be celebrated at all.

The Bible makes it clear that we are not to associate with darkness or evil and this whole day is built and based on that. God established a calendar and festivals for His people to follow. Halloween was not one of those days.

There are verses in Ephesians 5:15-17 which say,

Therefore, pay careful attention to how you conduct your life — live wisely, not unwisely.  Use your time well, for these are evil days. So don’t be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.

Some people say that these verses mean that you can redeem your time and by choosing to live wisely you can choose to be better and not associate with the darkness (which is mentioned several verses before this). It is thought that the new ideas would be "not evil" and therefore okay.

Let me stop here and say, I get it. We can put too many fences up around the guidelines God gave that we become no good to those around us. We can become so legalistic that we do no earthly good. There is a fine line between following the guidelines that God established, and becoming so dogmatic about them that you do more harm than good.

However, I do believe (again - my belief) that we need to be cautious and careful with what days we celebrate and how involved we get with days that are not affiliated with God's original calendar.

As we approach this season of darkness, do your best to "live wisely." "Use your time well, for these are evil days." And the last line, "try to understand the will of the Lord."

I do not plan to participate in Halloween in any way. My prayer is that as you look at what is best for you and your family that you will be a LIGHT in the darkness and LOVE those you meet.

Love and blessings,

Rose