October 24, 2024
We’re gearing up for Trunk or Treat. This year, I will be a dog. Our team’s theme is D.O.G. - Depend on God.
Last year, I was Shadrach – one of the Hebrew boys in the fire. The back of my car was filled with fake flames made from bulletin board paper. A real fire would have been awesome but a little dangerous with the kids. (A heat source at Trunk or Treat is a pretty sweet feat.)
Over the years, I have been a coal miner, fairy, farmer, Lazarus/mummy, Marshmallow from Fortnite, a spider, Mary the mother of Jesus, plus some other stuff.
Trunk or Treat is a fun evangelistic outreach for our church. It has a festival atmosphere with popcorn, snow cones, and cotton candy – a safe “trick or treat” where kids and adults feel welcome.
Each trunk has a theme. The team for the trunk gives Bible verse cards with their candy. Since lots of little kids can’t read, their grown-ups must read the verse cards for them. Voila! Scripture has entered the house.
Halloween is a fun time when kids pretend to be something they’re not. Adults do that, too.
Pretenders were not new to Jesus. During His days on earth, He often encountered people who were not what they appeared to be. The Pharisees’ power had gone to their heads. They focused on rules instead of a relationship with God. They were more concerned with their outside appearance than what was underneath. Robes flowing with the best material, their words flowed from their cold and judgmental insides.
In Matthew 23, Jesus spoke clearly to the teachers of the law and the Pharisees about the condition of their hearts. The Life Application Study Bible comments, “Jesus again exposed the hypocritical attitudes of the religious leaders. They knew the Scriptures but did not live by them. They didn’t care about being holy – just looking holy in order to receive the people’s admiration and praise. Today, like the Pharisees, many people who know the Bible do not let it change their lives. They say they follow Jesus, but they don’t live by his standards of love…”
If we truly know Jesus, we will act like it. John 13:35 reminds us people will know we are Jesus’ disciples by our love.
A man in another county harshly rebuked his pastor when he heard their church was having a Trunk or Treat event. He couldn’t believe they were going to “celebrate the devil’s holiday.”
In truth, the devil doesn’t need a designated day to wreak havoc. He already works overtimetrying to hijack Christmas with Santa and Easter with a bunny. I say let’s turn the tables using Trunk or Treat as an evangelistic opportunity to reach our communities with God’s love.
You won’t find me watching horror movies or at haunted houses; life is scary enough. I do know on Halloween or any other day, I can D.O.G. - Depend on God!
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Dawn Reed is a pastor's wife and newspaper columnist. Reach her at preacherswife7@yahoo.com.
