...This week is especially rough for me, halloween...
Yesterday
my yard was full of signs that say "Out of Candy". I ran out 7 years ago! I've put these signs up every halloween since then.
People walk by complaining and commenting how halloween is all about the kids. I like to say "When it comes to candy, it's all about me!" It catches 'em off guard & even the kids laugh. Perhaps when they see a large picture of Jesus in my window they're expecting me to be cranky on halloween.
A few parents have asked "Can you believe there are actually stick-in-the-mud types in the neighborhood who just don't celebrate halloween?!" I mention how much candy costs, they agree, and suddenly their my new friends. I've never had the conversation go any further, because they know how much THEY spend on halloween.
When I have told people the spiritual reasons why I boycott halloween, it's always resulted in their putting up a wall and declaring how they hate christians. They're not ready for that, so we speak the love language. It's everyone's mother tongue, if they try.
Sometimes we need to 'jar' people's cultural mindsets in order to take captive every thought for Christ (2 Co. 10:5). When they attack or get defensive, catch them off guard with a humorous new slant on the topic. Whatever it takes to win some over, right? (1 Co. 9:22) Often they'll admit their 'holy cow' isn't really sacred after all.
Nowadays a lot of non-believers are also tired of the evil imagery and take their kids to malls dressed as positive characters like Holly Hobbie or Barney. It's encouraging as we take back ground the enemy has stolen.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Ro. 12:21