It's that time of year again. Giant bags of candy. Pumpkins outside of every store you visit. "Trick-or-Treat"s all night long...yup! Halloween is upon us yet again.
I hope no one is disappointed, but I'm going to skip the talk about pagan rituals and Satan's birthday and all the other terms that float around Christian circles this time of year. It's not that these are things we, as Christians, shouldn't be concerned about, I just think we've heard it all before, and I do not feel fully equipped to give a history lesson on Paganism anyhow.
Instead, I want to talk about the Bible. Halloween makes me think about the Bible. More specifically, I think about Lazurus. The original Night of the Living Dead if you will. In thinking about Lazurus, I think about masks, and that takes me right back to Halloween. (I know, just stay with me for a few paragraphs.)
One of the biggest appeals of Halloween is getting to be, at least for one day, someone you're not. This year I have the distinct privilage of dressing up as Ron Stoppable. (Ask your kids.) Who do you get to be? Spiderman? Superman? A witch? An angel? Some sort of fruit? Whatever it is, it is fun right?
The reason I think about Lazurus though, is that I can't help but think about the other 364 days of the year. What masks do we have on then? The always cheery secretary? The manager who has no fear? The friend who always has time for other people's problems because he's got none of his own? If we can answer that question, that begs another. What are we trying to cover up?
The answer is sin. The sin in our life. Things we've done to others. Things we've done to ourselves. Things that others have done to us. It's all sin. And it stinks.
This is where I get to Lazurus. The story says that Jesus removed the stone from Lazurus' tomb. Do you know why they put stones in front of tombs? Certainly not to keep the dead from escaping. They did it because death stinks. Jesus was even warned about it. But He didn't care. He removed the stone and conquered the death and stench that it was covering up.
I think by now you know what I'm getting at. It's time to put the false identities aside, and let Jesus deal with the sin underneath. He's not afraid of the stench. He wants in. He's not afraid to get dirty and work things out. But you have to let Him have a crack at it.
This Halloween, I hope you get all the candy you can eat for a month, or that your kids get some of your favorites. Just consider this. When you are standing in front of the mirror and you pull off that mask, how many more are underneath it?
By Aaron Blackwell
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3 comments:
It really is so hard to put away all those masks, even when you think you're letting Jesus in. I have to constantly remind myself that Jesus calls me to live an open and honest lifestyle, and I need to step aside so Jesus can move that rock for me.
Wow. Really cool look at Hallowwen Aaron!
I know this is more related to the last blog but regarding prayer:
THANK YOU FOR HEPING/PRAYING FOR/WITH ME!
I got an email from a cruise company to which I applied and they want to continue to speak to me about becoming a Youth Counselor on their cruise ships. HOW COOL! This job would be an amazing opportunity. Thanks to all those who prayed with me about finding my next step. I will be taking the next step with this company and we shall see where it leads.
You go God! You go!
Keep up the prayers, and go Red Sox!
I am reading a really great book called "As Bread that is Broken". Got it from my mom. It is teaching me that God loves me just the way I am. I do not earn it with my works or in this case with my masks that I beleive I have to where. The love of Christ is free with out bounds, no matter who and what I beleive I have to be. To make it short, just try to be yourself! God will work with that!
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