Justin D. Ridgeway

Thomas Edison is to many one of the greatest innovators in history. He is credited with patenting the incandescent light bulb, phonograph, motion picture and many more inventions that have been useful to mankind. Edison’s inventions each faced many obstacles and setbacks; however it was through much resilience that he achieved success. If we are willing to put forth the extra effort, we too can develop perseverance in order succeed in our goals.

A friend of mine told me once that he did not feel comfortable celebrating Halloween, even though he enjoyed attending a “harvest festival” his church held each year on the evening of October 31.

So, what is Halloween to Christians, if anything? What is the origin of the holiday? Is it merely a harvest festival? Should Christians celebrate this holiday, either as a harvest festival or as something else entirely?

I still remember once stopping at Starbucks to enjoy a hazelnut iced macchiato, when something interesting happened. The lady who was in front of me realized at the register that she had forgotten to put her wallet into her purse! In her embarrassment, she apologized and told the cashier that her sister was coming to meet her, and that she would pay for it. Since I was next in line, I took the opportunity to pay for her drink. This simple act of kindness made all the difference to both the woman and the cashier, and provided me an extra shot of motivation for my day!

My wife and I once had the opportunity to rescue a baby deer, which had become separated from its mother and was on the verge of dying. While we were driving to and from a deer rehabilitation center in North Carolina, we began discussing our experience, and it became quite apparent that there is a great deal of responsibility and joy associated with taking care of God’s creation. We saw this experience as a God-given opportunity to help us learn some vital lessons in how important it is to tend and keep the earth.

Those who have been blessed to live in the United States know that it is a land full of abundance and beauty. As wonderful and great as our nation is, I have noticed that Americans, including myself, can develop an inward assumption that the whole world is American. Many people never take the opportunity to experience life outside of their comfort zone, and some say “it doesn’t matter.” I have to disagree!