Posted by Robin
on November 7, 2009, 2:17 pm
Trunk or Treat?
When I was a kid, Halloween was great! Dressing up and going from house to house getting loads of goodies was the best time for me besides my birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some of my best family memories are centered around Halloween happenings in my old neighborhood in New York.
Many years have passed and something has changed. Me. I'm what has changed. And why? Because I knelt at the altar of God and said, "Please fix me God. I believe in Your Son and what He did for me. Hold me close, don't ever let me go." Over time my perspective on the world changed. Little things in life that I thought were so innocent and fun took on a whole different look when I viewed them through the discerning eyes God gave me. The celebration of Halloween is one of those things. Early on in my faith walk, I found myself reluctant to give up the practice especially since my son wanted so much to do what all the other children were doing, having innocent fun. As I grew in my intimate relationship with God and His Son, I began to truly think twice about what forms of insidious evil I was exposing my son to. I had to put aside all those cherished memories long enough to hear God asking, "What business does a Christian have perpetuating a pagan ritual? I the Lord your God am a jealous God! You shall have no other gods before Me!" I found myself sitting my boy down, explaining to him the truth of Halloween and apologizing to him for not leading him on a more Godly path. It took a while for he and I to step away from the worldly pull of the annual ritual but eventually, we came to a place of complete peace about it. Oddly, Autumn is now my son's favorite season. I think it is mine as well because it marks an important milestone in both my son's faith walk and mine.
Now, as I drive by church parking lots, I see signs for Trunk or Treat. What’s that all about? Well, it’s a safe, church friendly way to celebrate Halloween, a pagan ritual. Huh? There are many churches that also try to appease their children with Harvest parties on Halloween night. Why? Are we not, as Christians, to be in the world as opposed to of the world? Why are churches trying to appease their children instead of sitting them down and telling them what God expects from them as Christians and what He thinks about Halloween? If churches, church leaders and parents will not set the tone of obedience to and reverence for God for our children to follow, how can our children grow in their faith and obedience to God? As Christians, we need to just cherish the day as we are to cherish every other day that God blesses us with and let the pagans do their celebrating! Or, better yet, stand in your church parking lot and hand out but one Treat, the Word of God and the Gospel of Our Lord and Savior!
"I am what I am because 'I AM' has called me to be what I am and I am obedient."
-- Robin Butler, Sword of Truth Staff Member101
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