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by Beth Parkinson

Creative Media Assistant, CBN Europe

Now that winter is creeping closer to us, it is impossible not to notice how dark the mornings have become. My little ones wake up very early, and these past days, when turning the light on, we all couldn’t help but cover our eyes as it was too bright to bear. When light comes in, darkness cannot escape it. The darker the world around us, the brighter we as God’s children and his message will become. Darkness will never be able to cover it up. Just like it is written in John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This Halloween we want to encourage you and your children to look to the light and be reminded of God’s powerful truth.

We all know that Halloween can be about celebrating darkness. As Christian parents we may find it difficult to talk to our children about this season. I believe we have an opportunity at this time of year to teach them powerful lessons about the source of true light: Jesus, His power, and His love for humanity. It is our responsibility as parents to give our children the wisdom to know how to understand the world around them with a Biblical perspective and empower them to be witnesses to others. So here are three messages for you to share with your little ones this Halloween.

Remind Them of The Gospel 

Since man’s mistake in the garden, the world became a very dark place. Far away from God, people started to look for other sources to find purpose, fulfilment, entertainment – the list goes on. The enemy contaminated man’s heart and a battle began to keep humans distant from God. He grabbed things like life and love, special gifts from God to us, and made humanity start to celebrate death and fear.

So, the idea of wearing scary costumes may not seem like a big deal – and fun – but they are a reminder of what the enemy does to our hearts. So, this Halloween, let’s be reminded that the true light that gives light to everyone that has come into the world (John 1:9). Jesus came to make human’s heart right with God again. He gave us the blessing of eternal life with God and showed us how love covers all things by sacrificing everything for us. Turn on the light for your children by reminding them of the Gospel.

Because we carry His message in us, of the grace He has given us through eternal life and of His immeasurable love, we carry His light.

God Is Greater Than Our Fears

As a child, I used to be quite fearful of the dark or any scary thing that I would watch. When fear crept in, I used to quote 1 John 4:18 saying, “perfect love casts out fear.” I still do that today. Halloween can be a time where fear can start to penetrate the hearts of our children. And fear can stop us from thinking, from being certain of the power of God and from relying on Him. In this season, why not minister God’s love over us and our children? Let us remind them that Jesus has already won the battle against the enemy. He is powerful enough not just to destroy the work of the evil in our hearts, but also to restore it so we can live free from fear and full of love in God. Turn on the light for your children by reminding them that God is greater than our fears.

Shine Your Light for Others 

In Mathew 5:14-15 Jesus says to the disciples, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” This passage is a reminder to us that we need to be light in the darkness. Because we carry His message in us, of the grace He has given us through eternal life and of His immeasurable love, we carry His light. This Halloween why not encourage your children to think of creative ways not to hide at this time, but to reach out to those who need to experience God’s love too? Jesus came to us, to our darkness, to bring His light and now He invites us to do the same for others. Turn on the light for your children by helping them shine their light for others.

Let us not shy away from Halloween but let us turn on the light at this time. My prayer and hope are that you and your children reflect on Jesus’ love and victory this Halloween and that you find creative ways to share His love with others.

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