Three Things Your Family Should Give at Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! Or Reformation Day if you're a theology nerd.

Before the hate mail comes in, I know there are some Christians who don't participate, have a moral concern with Halloween and its history, or who are troubled by it. Y'all do you. Paul makes that clear in Romans 14 we shouldn't overlook or bemoan another's conscience.

We love our neighborhood and how big trick or treating is there. Our kids love dressing up and we love getting first dibs on the candy.

For Christians who choose to engage in Halloween with trick or treating (or an alternative like a Fall Festival or Trunk or Treat) I really want to encourage you to give three things tonight:

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1) Good Candy - Don't get the lame candy. Give out the good stuff. And be generous with it too. God loves the cheerful giver, and I think that's beyond the offering plate at church. Good candy on Halloween shows you've put some extra thought and effort into being a blessing to others around you.

2) Church information - This doesn't have to be anything big or expensive, but if your church has a random box of pens sitting around (you know they do) ask if you could have some to give out to families as they trick or treat? We have thousands of service information cards with directions and times on them that we encourage people to take. It doesn't have to be much, but something is better than nothing.

3) Graciousness - A lot of kids who come by our house tonight will be dressed as Woody, Buzz, Paw Patrol, or astronauts. And some others will come dressed as Pennywise, Michael Myers, or some other horror movie figure. Graciousness means that we put aside our thoughts on costumes and we bite our tongues when it's obviously not age-appropriate what a kid is dressed as. Be gracious. Be kind.

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