Would Jesus Trick or Treat?

     I had an interesting experience yesterday.  I was a chaperone (aka fancy French word for unpaid babysitter) on my son's fifth grade field trip to the Cedar Rapids Art Museum.  The first display that we were taken to was a Mexican "Day of the Dead" Altar.  Our "docent" (aka fancy Latin word for unpaid tour guide) took 20 minutes explaining the altar and taking questions / comments from the fifth grade students.    The altar was covered in pictures of two apparently famous Mexican's.  One a male who I had never heard of and another of a unibrowed female who I also had never heard of.  The altar also had the most random assortment of skeletons, devils, demons, deceased cats, a nude couple making out, ancient aztec warriors and a portrait of Jesus.
     The docent's description of the "Day of the Dead" celebration was basically that this was a day of ancestor worship and a hope that the ancestor's ghost would visit their descendant's celebration.  After the description the Q & A session that followed was quite humorous.  Fifth grader's question, "Why is that part so creepy?"  Highly educated docent's response, "Well, actually it isn't creepy, but quite fascinating."  After many similar exchanges, the final exchange was the most striking.  Wise beyond his years fifth grader's comment, "I don't see how anyone could see this as anything but creepy!"   Highly educated docent's response, "Well, actually I love it and want to set up one in my home!"
     I found this exchange to be so telling of our culture around this time of year.  We encourage children to celebrate something that they are naturally repulsed by . . . DEATH!  I didn't train my 6 year old daughter to be freaked out by Ghosts, witches, skeletons, dead bodies, coffins, zombies and the like.  She just innately is.  Why would I as a highly mature and educated adult try to convince her that these things are actually cute, cuddly and a lot of fun!  It doesn't make any sense.  Just think about how oxymoronic the phrase "Happy Halloween" sounds.  "Happy celebration of fear and death!"
     Historically, Christians have reacted to Halloween in a variety of different ways:  1. Condemn it.  Basically we study the history of halloween, preach against it, tell anyone that has anything to do with halloween that they are going to hell, turn off our lights and hide in a corner on halloween.  2. Sanctify it.  Have a non-Halloween "Hallelujah" Party, have everyone dress up in "Biblical" costumes and play "pin the tail" on Balaam's Donkey.  3. Celebrate it.  This is the ol "If you can't beat em join em" philosophy.  We carve Jack-o-lanterns, dress our kids up as witches, ghosts and zombies, go trick-or-treating, maybe even toilet paper someone's house.
     How you respond to halloween is between you and God.  I have been all over the map on this issue.  I have found myself in all three of the aforementioned Christian camps.  But I have found striking weaknesses in all three.  1. Condemn it.  Are there things about halloween that I don't think God is too crazy about?  Absolutely!  But what good are we doing for our friends and neighbors if all we do is condemn them.  2. Sanctify it.  I think we come across so irrelevant and cheesy when we try to "Christianize" everything.  3. Celebrate it.  As I have already mentioned I think there are many aspects of halloween that as Christ-followers we should be repulsed by.
     So what should we do?  I think that we have a fourth option.  4. Illuminate it.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden."  "Let your good deeds shine out for all to see."  Jesus doesn't give us the options of hiding or blending in.  He tells us to shine.  So maybe this Halloween is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors.  Maybe it is an opportunity to talk with your kids about how to respond to our culture.  Maybe it is a great opportunity to shine light on the darkest day of the year!