Halloween has come and gone. The costumes have been put away, the decorations are coming down, and somewhere in your house there's probably a bowl of leftover candy calling your name.
But something happened this past weekend that I hope doesn't disappear along with the jack-o'-lanterns. For a few hours, neighborhoods came alive. Porch lights were on. Front doors were open. Families walked the sidewalks together. Neighbors who might otherwise exchange little more than a passing wave stopped to talk, laugh, and admire the creativity of children dressed as everything from superheroes to princesses.
And for a brief moment, we experienced something God designed us to enjoy all along.
Community.
There's something beautiful about people coming together. Different generations, different backgrounds, different beliefs, and different life experiences sharing a common space and a little goodwill. In my mind, anytime we have an opportunity to bring people together, build relationships, and extend kindness, it's a win for the Kingdom.
Why? Because God never intended us to live isolated lives. The writer of Hebrews reminds us: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."(Hebrews 10:24-25)
We were created for connection. Not just with God, but with one another. Yet somewhere along the way, it's easy for Christians to become so comfortable within our own circles that we forget there's an entire world beyond them.
We worship together. We study Scripture together. We serve together. We develop friendships with people who share our beliefs and values. These are all good and important things. But if our Christian community becomes the only community we engage with, we may be missing some of our greatest opportunities to share Christ.
Jesus didn't limit His relationships to people who looked, thought, or believed like He did. Quite the opposite. He intentionally spent time with people others overlooked, avoided, or dismissed. He entered their world, listened to their stories, and demonstrated the love of God in ways they could understand.
The Apostle Paul embraced that same approach: "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22)
Paul never compromised the truth of the gospel. But he understood that reaching people often begins with meeting them where they are. And sometimes, where they are is right across the street.
In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus tells His disciples: "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Here's what strikes me about that passage: Jesus didn't tell His disciples to wait for the harvest to come to them. He called them to go. And that calling hasn't changed.
We don't need a church program, a special event, or a holiday on the calendar to create opportunities for community. Sometimes all it takes is an invitation to dinner, a conversation over the fence, a helping hand, or a willingness to slow down long enough to notice someone.
Halloween may have given us a reason to open our doors, but the gospel gives us a reason to keep them open. The opportunities to love our neighbors are still right outside our doors.
Let's not miss them.
