Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

By Cathy Irvin

Well it is almost time for the bewitching hour, the day called Halloween. The children wait by their front doors ready to run out into the night as soon as the sky darkens.

The porch lights are on for a welcome sign for those who invite the children, For those not wishing to participate or who are out at the malls with their children, they have all their lights off.

There are so many thoughts about this night (which by the way is the second favorite of children, Christmas taking the number one slot). Is it safe? Should Christians celebrate it?

I am in favor of children going to an alternative, church harvest party where they can dress up and get candy, punch, cookies, etc.

But what do we do if we don’t have any little ones of our own? Do we go help out at those churches or stay home and hide from them? Or do we open the door and be a light in the darkness?

Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men that they might see your good works." The people need to see the love of God. These children are innocent. They also need our protection. I have dressed up and gone to a children’s hospital before and gave out candy ... diet candy to the diabetic children. I also have gone to a church to help, and I also have hid in the dark in my home not answering the door. I have done it all.

Last year my daughter and granddaughter asked me to go out with them. So into the dark night with my two great-grandchildren with their mother and grandmother, I went. We checked their candy and talked to them about not going inside anybody’s house. An old man was sitting in a rocking chair in his living room with the door open telling children to come on inside. I told him, "Sir please bring your chair on the porch because we instruct children, and our own especially, not to enter a stranger’s home." He listened as he bowed his head. I hoped he might have thought about what I said as we left never going inside. I told the children they would get plenty of candy in my daughter’s neighborhood.

It didn't take me long to wonder, Why did I even go out with them? I went to pray over all the children that night as we went up and down the streets. I prayed for the people who lived in those homes and found some other Christians who had a light on but no jack-o-lanterns, creepy critters or sounds were to be seen. I noticed they would say, "God bless you" to the children and told them to be safe and hold hands.

We never dress the children up in anything representing evil, and they don’t even want to go up to those scary houses, but they like seeing the costumes, getting candy and riding back home in a wagon.

Do I believe in celebrating Halloween? Absolutely not! Do I want to use this night as an opportunity to show Jesus? You bet I do.

I will expose my good deeds to this dark world, and I will choose to go out into the darkness, where I will let my light shine for Jesus. I may just give something from the Christian bookstore, a message of God’s love on a tract or information about Halloween and some candy on my own front porch; but whatever I do, I will not hide in the dark.

The decision to go out, stay home, to take the children out into the streets, mall or to church is a personal conviction. Each year you can do something different, but be a light in the darkness whatever you decide to do.

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, NIV)

"Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." (John 3:20, NIV)