Halloween, Liberty, & Love

Halloween is just one of many controversial topics. I actually had no intention of blogging today, but there is a passage that sometimes reminds me of Halloween...and it just so happens to be October 31st and it just so happens that this was included in my Bible reading for today!

Romans 14:5-6a

One person esteems one day above another, another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it...

Halloween is something I  participated in growing up, and I have many fond memories associated with it. I delighted in dressing up as Belle, Princess Leia, or whatever it might have been, getting ready with my mom, and going out with Josh and my parents. I even gave away 95% of my candy. I still love scooping out the pumpkin guts and roasting the seeds! I believe these were harmless times for me. Even last night I had a great evening of bowling, costumes, and whatnot with some friends. I understand that Halloween has pagan origins and often many dark images that compel people to separate themselves from it altogether. God bless them for standing by their convictions!

I don't really want this post to be about Halloween, but rather how we should love one another, which is the next section of the chapter. Though we do have freedom, we shouldn't be doing something that harms someone else and causes them to struggle.

Romans 14:13

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this,

not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.

Nobody appreciates it when someone displays a lack of concern for how you feel. It shows a lack of respect and damages a relationship instead of infusing that bond with peace, compassion, and edification. This stumbling block could be the movies we watch, or the things we talk about with each other, for example. We have the freedom to watch these movies and choose our discussion topics, but life is not about us and our wants. It can be hard to sacrifice things that we like and evaluate habits we have for the sake of another. But we are called to love. God has so marvelously loved us, and He will help us love everyone our paths cross with.

Romans 13:10

Love does no harm to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Pre-Blessed Food

Who would have thought I'd have something I could do with a Julian Smith video besides chuckle and then share it with others?
It's possible, my friends! The video is a good satire of our priorities:



We have gotten pretty good at this not-so-good laziness. With all the technological advances and opportunities at our fingertips, it sometimes seems like we've capitalized on an almost constant state of inertia. We'll buy almost anything that we think will cut corners and make life easier. We can drive to get fast food. Or we could just get delivery. We sit glued to a computer screen (guilty of this one at the moment) doing worthless activities (I'm kind of doing something at least haha). We can get pre-blessed food!! (Well, not really, but you can get the stickers) I remember my lovely friend Amanda and I being thrilled to see a few young kids running around their front lawn in the summer...seriously? That's become the rarity now?

It's the same with our relationship with God. We have a Bible but don't dig into it as often as we should. We go to church on Sunday and let the pastor do all the study and share what he learned with us, and don't do our own study and meditation on God's Word. We throw out a quick prayer, but only when it's convenient to our agenda - for example, how many reality show contestants say "Oh God, don't let us be eliminated!!" Does that even mean anything to us anymore, or is it just something we say because we figure uttering those few words couldn't hurt any? We say it because we want things to follow our personal agenda. We don't put time and sincere effort into our relationship with God, nor developing deep friendships.

It's something I am really trying to evaluate in my own life. Since I am not in school, I am spending a lot of time at home. This time at home isn't an "extended vacation" and I can't completely relax and shy away from anything and everything productive. I have my voice and piano lessons, which serve as my education right now, and various other things I am involved in, but I still have to be really careful and check myself every day. It's so easy to just want to read a book or listen to music all day every day.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think eating out occasionally or watching movies are inherently bad things. I enjoy doing those things too. The problem is when we become lethargic surface-grazers. We don't like to put in effort and work at something beautiful. But we really don't want to look back on life realizing we've made no contributions, have no achievements, made no positive differences, and didn't serve God in everything. In the video, one of the guys says they've been so busy watching tv that there's no time to pray. Another says, "Since I've switched to pre-blessed food, aint nothing changed!"
Maybe it should change.

Proverbs 20:4

A sluggard does not plow in season, so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.