October 30th, 2013
Ephesians 4:27 — Neither give place to the devil.
Our church does not celebrate Halloween. In fact we try to keep local kids away from “Trick or Treat” with an alternative event called “Trunk or Treat” where scary costumes are not welcome, and the candy is supported with Biblical messages.
Another thing that our church leadership has deprecated is the “cult” of Harry Potter. What’s going on? Is our church stuffed with legalistic killjoys? Not a bit of it. But it is full of people who care deeply about the tender minds of children. It’s a tricky balance.
A few days ago I mentioned the ill effects of the Supreme Court 1968 ruling in Ginsberg vs. New York. There was at least one positive, however, in the comment that the government can’t “reduce the adult population…to reading only what is fit for children.” At least it recognized that there are things that may be fit for adults that are certainly not fit for children!
A paper published in the September 2011 issue of the British Journal of Social psychology observes that reading material that describes aggressive behaviors tends to promote aggressive behavior in the reader. That’s just reinforcing the truth that every parent knows — what you expose children to influences the way they believe and behave. That imposes a heavy burden of responsibility when parents (and grandparents!) are faced with children wanting to share in the “fun” they see their friends having.
I don’t know many parents who want to spoil the fun for their kids. Most parents, too, are aware that telling boys and girls what they can’t have is setting up for trouble. So what’s the plan?
There’s another aspect to this, too. Soon or later, everyone is going to come up against the enemy. Everyone needs to be ready — but you don’t throw the youngest, least ready, soldiers into the battle. Preparation is the key. To me, that’s the logic behind an event like “Trunk and Treat”. It provides an opportunity to explain to the youngest children that some things are not good, and to offer an alternative.
As the troops get older, though, just protecting is not enough. That’s why worldview education is so important. A worldview is the framework that shapes how we make sense of life and the world. It’s the essential tool kit for understanding events, books, movies and the pervasive influences that shape what we believe. A Christian worldview has as its foundation the idea that the Bible is completely true — the infallible Word of God. Teaching young people to apply a Christian worldview to events, books, movies and other influences provides them them with the essential tools they need in spiritual warfare. With a Christian worldview, applying Psalm 101:3 — “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” adds a lot of clarity to deciding what movies to see, what books to read and what events to go to, as well as pointing clearly to the exit when you stumble into something that offers only spiritual damage.
If we don’t provide our children and young people with protection from harmful activities and insight with age-appropriate worldview education, we open the door wide for satan. That’s giving place to the devil. Let’s not do that.