October 31: TRICK OR TREAT ?

If you hadn’t noticed, it’s Halloween again! It’s a festival celebrated on October 31. Its name means “hallowed evening” or “holy evening” because it takes place on the day before some Christians celebrate a day called All Saints Day, which is supposed to honor all Christian saints.
Many superstitions and symbols are connected with Halloween: jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, fairies, witches, elves, and black cats all got started with Halloween.
Just goes to show you that something that started as a religious event can end up with no religious meaning at all or the reverse, a pagan festival can be baptized and Christianized by some folks and they receive spiritual help from it.
In America, the advertising world has done a great job in making another big “money” day for stores that sell a lot of Halloween costumes and pumpkins.
Most kids see it as an excuse to eat too much candy and try to fool the neighbors with false faces. People who believe in the occult use the occasion to promote their ideas and actions.
What is a Biblical perspective? You can ignore it as far as spiritual significance is concerned. In the present environment you could celebrate it simply as a bit of “Americana”. Or you could try to take your current community idea about Halloween and turn it around to make it a happy Christian celebration without threat or danger. Or, if you are a Christian, you know that you are a saint already and that every day is a special day for saints and let your joy overflow because of Jesus.
In the Bible you will find no “trick or treat”, only blessing. John 20:31 says, “but these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
No trickery. No fear. No scary stuff. Just a sure promise. Be glad about that today.

“O Unchanging God, thank You for not tricking us or playing games
to tease us about our possibility of a new and joyful life with You. Amen”