Is It a Trick or a Treat?

My kids are always trying to sneak up on me and scare me. It's really quite funny, because they usually don't. First off the word "boo" isn't inherently scary...plus when they say it...I kinda know its their voice. I mean, who decided "boo" was scary? And why? I know its supposed to be what ghost say...but really, is that the best a ghost could come up with? Really? Boo, actually sounds like a fun word...a playful word... a silly word. That's why it doesn't scare me. It's no more scary than someone sneaking up behind me and saying "cheese!". OOOOhhh, I just have to laugh. Now in the Fall, we seem to like the playful and scary. Its all a part of the Halloween spirit I suppose. Goofy creatures that make silly sounds like "boo". And we sometimes jump in fear...other times we laugh in shock. Its all meant to be innocent fun, but often lost in the Halloween "fun" is the undercurrent of truth in this occasion. This night of the dead has roots back to the ancient Druid celebration of Samhain. Samhain marked the end of the season of life & light and the beginning of the season of darkness and death. The Druids had their year divided into these two primary seasons. Now it makes sense naturally...in the Fall, all the leaves drop from the trees and we are about to enter a season where nothing grows...Winter. Everything in nature goes into a hibernation of sorts until the season of life begins in the Spring! But to the Druids it was much more. It was also deeply spiritual. On this night of Samhain, the dead and evil spirits had free rein over the earth to create mischief. Now I'm not taking about stealing pumpkins kind of mischief...we're talking serious mischief...like curses, pillaging, and killing in retaliation. The Druid priests often would go home to home, farm to farm, and collect "treats" on behalf of the dead & evil spirits...if you failed to comply with their wishes then a "trick" was coming your way. These "treats" weren't just cute little candy treats...but food, children, maybe one of your livestock, whatever they asked for...the "trick" was the penalty if you did not comply. The "trick" may be burning down your barns, killing your horse, or kidnapping one of your family members. This was serious stuff...and we often don't realize it. In fact, the Irish legend of the Jack o' Lantern, tells of a man who sold his soul to the devil, and when he died he was not allowed into heaven. When he went to hell, Satan refused his entry, but gave him a small cinder from the fires of hell. Jack put this cinder in a turnip he had hollowed out, to give him a little light & warmth, to guide him for all eternity. A reject of both heaven & hell. How sad is that story. Yet we celebrate Jack 'o Lanterns, without knowing the cryptic background to such a tradition. Much of what we do at Halloween is like that. Unlike most other holiday occasions, Halloween is not centered in a Christian celebration. Its roots are dark, occultic, and pagan in its spirit. In fact, today, in the pacific northwest, its widely known that occult and witchcraft activity heightens at Halloween. Its considered a high feast, often accompanied with sacrifices and rituals, that are very real and serious in the spirit realm. As followers we should not be ignorant...nor fearful. Jesus is already victorious over any spiritual force, whether real or imagined. But as followers of Jesus we should also live with clear thinking regarding things of this sort. We should not be naive. Especially for our children, we should model whats spiritually healthy. At ECHO, we suggest you steer away from the dark imagery, the death, the evil and those traditions associated with such things. Does that mean we can't dress up and have fun? No, not at all...dress up (if you wish), have fun with family & friends, gather your candy, laugh and enjoy the good. But be aware and wise regarding the dark...the evil... the things that glorify death & deprivation. Those things are not godly and should not be "enjoyed"...they should be "diminished" as much as possible. "For God hasn't given you a spirit of fear...but of power... love...and a sound mind (or clear thinking)". Embrace the innocent fun...and steer away from that which too closely associated with the dark side of this time of year. As followers of Jesus, we at FRIENDS, would hope we would always point people towards the light... the good...the righteous...and help people steer away from the dark...the evil...and death. May you live everyday...even Halloween...in a spirit of truth...love...and hope!
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be God's!

Brian O
ECHO

Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas

What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits

I wonder if perhaps we, the church, the followers of Jesus, have focused on & mis-taught "sin"?  For many, "sin" is some arbitrary rules the Great Guy in the sky has given us, so we'd better stay in line or else. But I would suggest that is very inaccurate, and yet a fairly common way for people to perceive God/sin. I would suggest that since God defines Himself as "Love", then He is, at His core, a relational being. And since 'we' are created in His image, then we too are relational beings. We read in the scripture, the "first" time God said something was "not good", was not sin, BUT that "man should not be alone"...once again suggesting our relational nature. And man was not alone in His relationship with God, man walked and talked with God in the Garden, "yet it was not good that he was alone"...he was in fact without another human. Sin enters the picture after this. Perhaps if we see sin as the outcome or result of "aloneness" we may get a more accurate picture. Sin are the "relationship busters" of our existence, both our relationship with God & with each other. Have you ever noticed that most of the commands focus on how people should treat people? Nothing damages relationships like "lies"..."stealing from each other"..."taking your neighbors wife"...or "envying each others stuff". Maybe when God says He hates sin, what He is really saying is "I hate anything that damages your relationships...both with Me...and with those around you." Maybe God sees sin as those things that damage a relational people deeply. I know, for me personally, you can cut off my arm...or take my stuff...but losing a valued relationship due to death or divorce or bitter argument, is some of the deepest pain we feel as humans. Perhaps a relational God knows this...and it hurts His heart to see His relational people struggle through life with broken relationships.  This is not as it should be. Perhaps since God is relational, He knows this pain all too deeply. Perhaps if we taught "sin" more in this light, people may begin to see a God of Love, who knows and cares for them deeply...and the people around them. In that, Jesus words summing up the commands makes much more sense..."to love God with your whole heart...and to love others as yourself"...which He said, "sums up all the commands".  Perhaps what we have seen simply as 'vices' & 'sins' are actually behaviors, attitudes and habits that short circuit the relationships around us?  And maybe, just maybe, God isn't just arbitrarily laying down the law, to see if we can measure up...but instead, the God of all relationships, who designed us for relationships, is trying to protect and preserve those relationships He made us to enjoy.  Perhaps that picture is more consistent with the God who defines Himself as Love!  At Friends, we hope to express this heart of God...

be God's!
BrianO
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas