Jack-o'-lantern Truth

Photo courtesy of telegraph.co.uk

I LOVE the month of October--the crisp air, pumpkin-flavored foods, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches.  But I think that we as the Church do not know quite what to make of Halloween.  Some of us ignore it, oppose it, celebrate it...it is really a mixed bag.  But I heard an analogy in recent years relating a common fixture this time of year--a Jack-o'-lantern--to our new life in Christ, and I just had to share it with you!  I pray that it would redeem this time of year for many of us and also serve to spark spiritual discussions with your little ones if or when you observe this Halloween tradition.

Have you ever considered that what we do to create a Jack-o'-lantern is what Christ does with us when we enter into a saving relationship with Him?  

Think about it for a moment...

We hand-select a pumpkin from a field (or store).  

Christ choose us to be His elect, before the creation of the world (Eph 1:4).

We cut open the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the pulp and seeds, discarding them.  

Christ removes the ugly sin from our hearts, as far as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12).

We carve out a face on the pumpkin.

Christ transforms us into a new creation, using His Spirit and 

His "sword," the Word of God (2 Corin 5:17, Heb 4:12).

We put a light inside so it will glow at night and display it on our front porch.

Christ puts His light inside us, as He gives us His Spirit inside our hearts, 

to be a light in a dark world for the display of His glory (Matt 5:16, Phil 2:15).

Fortunately for us young parents, this story is also told in a children's book called The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs (pictured below).  This is a book our family has recently added to our seasonal book library and it is a great springboard for spiritual conversations with our children this time of year.

So this Halloween season, I'd encourage you and your children to reflect upon and be encouraged by these gospel truths whenever you spot a Jack-o'-lantern or carve your own!  May we be reminded of the transformative grace of Christ as He chose us, forgave our sin, and continues to transform us into a new creation, to be a light for His glory in a dark world!