Thursday, October 31, 2013

Oh Dear, It's Halloween

Good morning on this spooky day. Halloween is a good evening to laugh at fear. Little ghosts, zombies, and other creatures of the night will visit our doors asking for candy treats. Horror movies are in demand and parties of strangely dressed people will hold revel. Should we get tied up in knots over this celebration? Do we shut the doors and say that Jesus would not approve? Ya know back in the day, a lot of people were surprised again and again at what Jesus did and did not approve. Why shouldn't we hold a celebration to laugh at the fearful things! Perhaps we should dress up as what we fear most and join them. Laughing at fear is a proven antidote. A draught of fear antidote might be good for those of us clutched by the deadly malady. How does one dress up as darkness anyway?

Wait, why am I defending a pagan holiday? Am I conforming to the world or standing on legalism? Do I call down judgment on myself through teaching us to take something lightly that perhaps should be strongly condemned? Ah, but my Lord Jesus did not come to condemn the world, and I am doing my best to be like Him through His strength. Shaking the finger of condemnation does not seem to be like my Lord. Even now I struggle with mentioning the holiday at all. I feel much as Paul must have felt with the sacrificed meat issue. Did Paul pause with Luke and Timothy and wonder how people find so much to worry about?

No, I suspect Paul knew very well that a lot of worries assault us daily, some mundane and some quite imaginative. Maybe we need to propose another holiday where we laugh at worries. We can dress up as invoices, dreaded medical diagnoses, failing report cards, and other worries that attempt to stifle our celebration of the good news of Jesus Christ. Maybe it is time we laughed more at the fears and worries of this place.

Have a wonderful celebration in Christ!
Bucky

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