10 Ways to Love Your Neighbors This Halloween

In case you haven’t noticed yet, Halloween is next Monday. While many people have differing views and opinions on the value of this particular ‘holiday’, think about this: if your neighborhood is anything like mine, Halloween is the one day out of the whole year where your neighbors will actually come knocking on your door for anything other than asking you to trim your bushes.So what do we do with that? At best, Halloween does have questionable roots. So a hesitation to participate is understandable. In light of that, I encourage you to consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24.

All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

We have freedom in Christ, so how can we use that freedom for the good of our neighbors this Monday night? Instead of turning off the lights and locking the doors, here are 10 helpful tips and ideas that we can use to bless our neighbors (and their kids!):

1. Pray about participating, even if it isn't your favorite. It really is a special opportunity to connect with your neighbors.

2. Give great candy -- love your neighbor as yourself and give out the good candy like you'd want.

3. Compliment cool and interesting costumes.

4. Pray for each family after they leave your house/driveway.

5. Have a bonfire in your driveway with hot dogs, smores, etc. (This is great to do with other people from your Redemption Community).

6. If your community or subdivision has a special unified Halloween event, attend it and participate.

7. Be gracious by remembering that most children have no idea about any pagan traditions – they just like dressing crazy and eating candy.

8.Hand out tracts, Bibles, or invites to the Chili Cookoff (if you do this, you dang sure better have great candy!).

9. Smile and laugh. Again, that's the way you'd want to be treated if you were a kid.

10. Seriously... keep your lights on and give good candy!

Parents may not remember every house they visited, but they will remember the kind and generous people who engaged their children and were hospitable.If we can develop a reputation like that, people will be much more open to receiving invitations to join us at other events (church service, RC meeting, Chili Cookoff, etc.). Families will come knocking on our doors on Monday night. Let’s not waste an opportunity to make an impact and create a possible opening for the Gospel.