Halloween is days away and my kids are excited. They love dressing up and, of course, love getting candy. Joshua is going to be Darth Vader, Anna will be Elsa, Gideon is going as Spiderman and Faith will be a strawberry.
Some shun Halloween and choose not to participate. I understand where they're coming from. The holiday is filled with many scary, violent, morbid and even demonic images in some movies, yards and parties. I understand those that don't feel comfortable joining in on the holiday because they see that stuff as central to the holiday. Growing up we always went trick-or-treating but then the church usually had a harvest party and definitely not a Halloween party.
For our family we choose to participate in Halloween because cosplaying as a favorite character or occupation is so fun. It's one of the only times we can go door to door in our community and meet people and put faces with the houses we pass by every day. And, of course, parents can sneak some (or maybe a lot) of the candy.
Whether or not you trick-or-treat or watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", don't let an opportunity for discussion starters with your kids pass by.
"Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down..." Deuteronomy 6:4-8
I believe that one of the jobs of a parent is to search for and create moments to obey the command above. We must look for things in our house and by the way as we go along our day to spark teaching moments. Halloween, like a million other things, has pointers to Gospel conversations, if we keep our eyes open for them. I am sure given a brief think you'll come up with some good ones for your children, grandchildren or the kids you speak with at church.
Our kids like to point out skeletons. Joshua has always thought they were cool. From the old Silly Symphony Skeleton Dance to skeleton renderings in Nat Geo Kids magazines, he has liked them.
There's a set of massive skeletons in a yard by our house with shining eyes and everything. There's two humans and one big dog and a few smaller ones as well. My kids love them and love pointing them out. So, this has become an opportunity. In fact, the kids almost get annoyed when I bring it up.
I read them Ezekiel 37:1-14 which tells the story of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones. Read it if you don't recall it.
We talked about how God told him to prophesy over the bones and to say the Word of the LORD. The bones then came to life and had sinews and flesh and skin on them. Then the breath of God came into the former pile of bones and they became alive in both body and spirit. We talked about how this was an illustration from God to Ezekiel about how the Word of God could revive the spiritually dead in Israel.
"What does the Word of God do?" I'll ask.
"Make dead things alive." They reply.
"Can dead things make themselves alive?" I ask.
"No, of course not." They reply.
This isn't rocket science or a seminary course. This is a simple Gospel truth in a conversation prompted by a pretend skeleton. The Word of God gives life to dead men. Dead men can't help themselves, they need someone to rescue them. This is Gospel 101 while driving or walking by a skeleton.
How deep does this go in them? Will they look upon their classmates with compassion because dead men can't help themselves? Will they have a cross-caused humility? Will they hear the Word of the LORD and respond by drawing in the spiritual breath of new life? I don't know, but I know the Word of the LORD makes skeletons walking and talking men.
Parents, we can't know that our efforts will achieve what we desperately want, but we are called to be Deuteronomy 6 parents and we can trust that God achieves His ends with His means.
So, don't waste a city full of decorations for this holiday or any. Find ways to talk about Him in your home and on the street. Be encouraged and find a Gospel conversation opener today.
