Yesterday I had a chance to go into some background of the Halloween Holiday, but never really finished talking about how you could celebrate it worry free – how you could “hijack a holiday.” There are different approaches to this if you’re a business or visible, public office space, vs. what to do on Halloween as a family, privately. Let’s take a brief look.
AT THE OFFICE
Businesses have a unique opportunity to make an impression on Halloween, especially in a place like Weaverville where the kids come to us. Here’s what we’re doing at the office tonight. Weather permitting, we’ll have our door open, with worship music playing. We’ll have a beautiful display, complete with hay bale, tastefully carved pumpkins, free coffee and hot apple cider, as well as, of course, lots and lots of candy. We’re pre-packaging the candy in sandwich bags, and including an Outpost business card in each. In short, we’re allowing kids to have fun while setting a wholesome example. But even more than that, I believe by just being in the midst of that celebration, we bring to the downtown area the presence and kingdom of God in a very real and powerful way that would otherwise be lacking. ‘It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness.’
AS A FAMILY
So what are your options? It seems like in Weaverville you’ll probably have several: trick-or-treat along main street. Trick-or-treat in your own neighborhood. Go to a holiday-related church function (a.k.a. “Harvest Festival”) or stay home. Let me just repeat what I said in yesterdays letter – I think any of these options are fine, none will get you ‘in trouble’ with God unless you are acting against a conviction He’s put in you. I think the basic rule of thumb no matter how we choose to celebrate Halloween is to remember that there will always be non-Christians watching us, whether as a family or a business or a church -- and we have an opportunity to demonstrate godly fun.
One last thing ~ please don’t judge any other family at the Outpost for the option they choose this Halloween… non-Christians are watching that too.
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteThanks for blogging! Now I can stop saving your letters on my Blackberry...
I do remember Robert, Josh! He came to the office on a Wednesday and it was there I made coffee for him and gave him some of Esther's cookies. I also gave him a gift which we will not mention as it does not matter except to Robert. But at the time I too thought he was a man searching for something beyond his logical reasoning. He was very intelligent and had a gentleness about him. AT the time he had a different backpack and his tent had been stolen, but now he has been provided with a new bp and a tent! It is obvious to see that Jesus was working on him and has made a great dent in his demeanor. I was happy to see him again and I was especially glad that he remembered my name from our last encounter! Josh thanks so much for telling his story and I hope to see Robert again in the spring to see the difference God and Jesus has made in his life on the road. I think he is a great man following in the path of other disciples who follow Jesus. May God and Jesus continue to look after him, keep him safe and bring him back to us in his travels! I ask people of Outpost to continually hold Robert up in our prayers and ask God and Jesus to continue to protect him on his 'journey'>
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