By Pastor Pam Seebach
Harmony, Mabel, and Newburg United Methodist Churches
I get excited about Halloween – not because of the decorations, because I find a lot of them kind of creepy-scary – but because of the candy! When I was younger and could burn it off easily, I used to buy a few bags for the trick-or-treaters and a bag just for me. I don’t do that anymore (I’m not as young as I used to be!), but I still like the IDEA of having all that candy ready and waiting for the children.
Our church in Mabel hosts a trick-or-treat station every year with lights and candy and costumes. I dress up as John Wesley, of course! It’s so much fun!! As soon as the big bags of candy appeared on the store shelves, I bought some – I’m ready! I brought two big bags to the church – one of a variety of candies, the other all chocolate. Yum! But yesterday I came to the church and found the back door standing open. The only thing I can see that’s missing is the big bag of chocolate candies. Uh oh. Somebody is going to have a tummy ache!
This missing candy was on my mind this morning as I sat down to pray. I looked to the scriptures for guidance and inspiration, as usual. My eyes fell on Luke 17:3-4. “Watch yourselves! If your brother or sister sins, warn them to stop. If they change their hearts and lives, forgive them. Even if someone sins against you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times and says, ‘I am changing my ways,’ you must forgive that person.” (Common English Bible) At first glance, this passage seems to be saying “forgive others, again and again”, and it does say that. But my eye is drawn back to the first sentence: “Watch yourselves!” Even as I might be feeling sad about the missing candy and setting myself to forgive, I should watch MYSELF. What is my heart saying to me? Forgive, yes, but there’s more.
In this life, so many opportunities exist for us to order our priorities after Jesus’ way … or not. Is the candy really what’s important? Or should the top priority in this situation go to the individual(s) who took it? Why did they need the candy? What is missing in their lives which led them to take candy from the church? What were they seeking when they entered the church by the back door? What other individuals in our lives or our communities are seeking? What can we, the church members, and citizens, do to alleviate the missing elements from all these lives? The lives and souls of people must take top priority.
Jesus would have us forgive, and beyond forgiving, Jesus would have us love. My prayers now will include the person(s) who took the candy – praying that Jesus will bless them and keep them, fill them with the love which is better than any candy – even chocolate! May all your hearts be sweetened with His love!