A Little Dress Up

A little dress up...I've pondered upon that title for a bit.  When I think (or hear) that phrase it throws me back to my childhood...those idyllic days which the haze of years softens and makes poignant.  I think about my grandmother and the shoes and clothes which she allowed me to use to play dress up.

I began percolating on the idea for this blog a few weeks back...someone asked me about attending an event which would be on October 31st - and dressing up.  "Don't you want to let your counter-self come out?"

Counter self?  Or alternate?  Or pretend to be someone I'm not?  I'm having a hard enough time trying to be Christ like!

I've posted in the past about the paganism of halloween - I could list a plethora of sites which are either for or against or, God help us, complacent about the issue.  However, as I researched, I believe the Lord took me in this direction.  To challenge myself and others about how much we are (or sadly, are not) reflecting Him to a lost and dying world.

The real question becomes, as Christians, and as those who are seeking to set an example of Christ, to follow in the footsteps of the disciples, are we giving a proper example of Him?

Some try to pooh-pooh the 'wickedness' of the day/night, stating we are to 'claim' or 'reclaim' and 'Christianize' and use every opportunity to present the gospel.

I agree with using every opportunity to present the gospel, calling people to repentance and belief in the Lord; however, looking like, mimicking the world to 'win' souls isn't what the early church folks did...they were set apart.  They were, are you ready?  Persecuted for being different.

Not just persecuted (you know, loose your family, home, work, etc.), but they gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel.  They didn't join in on the pagan holy days, they were set apart.  If they had participated previously, they renounced and repented and forsook their previous ways.

So...how different does the 'church' look today?  The bride is hosting trick or trunk days, dress up as your favorite Bible character, have a fall festival.  We aren't being very set apart or different.

We all are works in progress and God works dross out at different levels, speeds in each vessel He's chosen...the question becomes, are we truly seeking to reflect Him?  To pray about what we're doing?  Whether or not our actions, behavior, words, etc. really represent Him?

Or are we rather, white washing practices, behavior, etc. in an attempt to make ourselves 'feel' better so we can participate?  Does the 'world' really see much difference in us?  How salty are we?

As a note...pagans, and yes there really are folks out there who claim 'pagan' as their religion (the military now recognizes halloween as a 'holy day' for them), not to mention witches, etc. which claim 10/31 as a high holy day.  There is a lot, and I mean a LOT of wickedness which is perpetrated during those 'special days.'

I exhort you brethren, search out the Scriptures, test, check and see if He has given you liberty to look like the world, to masquerade about during particular times of the year looking no different from those who are lost and dying.

Lord, open our eyes and ears to see and hear where we compromise with the world, the times and places, where we, in an attempt to gratify our flesh (or others) capitulate and join in.  Lord, you've called us to be set apart and holy unto You...chosen vessels, fit for heaven.  O' Lord, cleanse us, Your bride, help us to turn from our complacency, our willful disobedience, our lazy ignorance of You and Your Word.  Cleanse us O Lord, help us to be Your light set on a hill, reflecting You in truth, honesty and integrity in every area of our lives.