Can We Talk About That?
Witches, skeletons, and ghosts. Oh my. How do you respond to your kids’ questions about these things? Among the other topics we would prefer NOT to talk about with our kids, I rank these pretty high. But just like those other things, I think we have to get past our discomfort rather than avoid difficult conversations.
So how do we answers questions about all the creepy stuff? How do we get through the holiday without scaring them, JEN? I know. Candy always comes at a cost. To keep it simple, I would start by saying that the motive of exploring these things should be to 1. disarm fear and 2. point the person to the truth. Read what the Bible has to say. Fact check through commentaries. Ask your pastor. Offer age appropriate information. Do not overwhelm little minds with big things. Heck, do not overwhelm full-grown minds with frightening facts! I would also caution against initiating these conversations if they are not already curious and asking questions.
Secret Things
I find a healthy balance in Deuteronomy 29:29 where it says “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” The distinction here is that some things have been revealed through Scripture and many have not. Let’s keep it that way. First Corinthians 4:5,6 warns us against making judgments or going beyond what is written. It’s not up to us to fill in the blanks. So as I said before, we enter into these mysteries knowing that we have been given a small fragment of the picture (and for good reason).
I’m not diving deep, but I would like to point out Scripture and show you some ways you can return the emphasis to who God is and what He says is true. I’m guessing your curious crew will have lots of questions and anything that directs their trust toward God is worth exploring. If you don’t feel ready to talk about it or don’t have an answer, you can always say, “Let me check that out” or “I’m not sure.” As with all things, we aren’t expected to have all the answers.
Some of you may want to talk about these things with your kids, but you aren’t sure what you think about God. That’s okay. You can share these views and say “this is what the Bible says” or “people that believe the Bible is true believe this.” You can teach your kids the stories and make them aware of the Bible as most of them will at one time or another crack it open to see what all the fuss is about.
So What Do We Say?
Skeletons
Ezekiel 37 shares a vision of a valley full of human bones that for me immediately brings to mind the awful images from the Holocaust. Bodies laid to waste without proper burial. Dry from being scavenged, picked apart, and broken down over time. They are all that remains. God asks Ezekiel if these bones can live and he responds that God knows. God told Ezekiel to speak to these bones. He said that if they returned to the Word of God, they would not only come together, bone to bone and muscle to sinew, but that they would be covered in skin and given new life. As Ezekiel saw in his vision what this would be like, I imagine thousands of bones rustled and stirred out of the dirt and came together with snaps, rattles, and fleshy seals filling the air. A valley of death was suddenly filled with life to create a great army.
This prophetic vision is meant for the Israelites and the promise that God will restore them through his Truth. The promise holds true for us that no matter how far gone we are, God can breathe life into anyone that trusts in Him. He’s the author and perfector of our lives. Only He has the ability to bring dead things to life.
Discussion:
What do you picture when you hear this story?
Why do you think God wanted Ezekiel to see these bones coming to life?
What do you feel when you imagine God bringing life back to them?
Why are we not afraid of these skeletons?
What does this teach us about who God is?
How does this point to Jesus?
What does this teach us about God’s love for us?
Ghosts
Ghosts. I don’t know, guys. God allowed an image of skeletons coming together to symbolize new life. He allowed it. When it comes to the idea of ghosts, there is usually a sense of fear, disorientation, or confusion along with them. God is loving and kind, not fearful and threatening.
There is one account in 1 Samuel 28 where Saul lost his kingship and was being pursued by the Philistines, his enemy. He doesn’t trust God, even though he’s been given a clear answer. He seeks out a medium and asks her to call upon Samuel, who is dead. When Samuel arises and speaks, she seems surprised. Whether she wasn’t used to achieving these results or not, Samuel repeated his message from life and added on that Saul would be defeated. Many believe that God allowed it in order to get the message across to Saul.
In Mark 6:49 Jesus walked on water and in Luke 24:37-40 He returned in His resurrected body. Both times His disciple believed He was a ghost. After His resurrection, they touched His hands and could feel the nail pierced wounds, which signified He was alive and not a spirit. The idea that seeing a ghost was a possibility to them has always stood out to me. However, it hasn’t been a necessary part of my spiritual walk to engage with the idea further.
God’s presence was stunning and beyond approach for Moses and Jesus was visible in His earthly form, but the Holy Spirit is not. The Bible describes Him as being poured into us (Titus 3:6), fills us up (Acts 4:31), and anoints us (1 John 2:27). Picture with me a carafe that is filled with fresh and clean water. So refreshing. Now imagine it being topped off with pond water. You wouldn’t drink from it unless you were desperate! So in the same way, we can focus our energy on the Spirit that offers life, not death. Truth, not lies. Beauty, not waste. My answer when it comes to ghosts is that God’s Holy Spirit can dwell in us when we choose to love and follow Him.
Discussion:
In Saul’s story, he sees Samuel. Do you think God allowed it? Why?
On two separate occasions, the Disciples thought Jesus was a ghost. What would you think if you were them?
The Holy Spirit lives in us and influences the way we live. Can you think of some examples where that has happened in your life?
What does all of this tell us about God?
How can we trust God more when we feel afraid of unseen things?
Witches
I will say the least about this topic. The Bible tells us to avoid witchcraft. It is filled with verses that warn us to be either for or against God. This translation of 1 Corinthians 10:21-24 from The Message is LONG, but I love every bit of it:
“You can’t have it both ways, banqueting with the Master one day and slumming with demons the next. Besides, the Master won’t put up with it. He wants us—all or nothing. Do you think you can get off with anything less? Looking at it one way, you could say, “Anything goes. Because of God’s immense generosity and grace, we don’t have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster.” But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.”
Rather than focusing our energy on anyone in any practice that is in direct opposition to God, let’s point toward the heart of obedience. Just as I don’t want to go down that rabbit hole, I think it’s wise to be brief in our description and clear in what the Bible has to say.
Discussion:
What does the Bible say about loving God and loving things in the world?
Going back to 1 Samuel 28, what did God have to say about mediums (or psychics)?
Why does God want us to avoid people that engage in these practices?
What does God want us to do instead of seeking this sort of knowledge?
What does this tell us about who God is?
What does it tell us about who He wants us to be?
No Shame in Wondering
Curiosity is normal and should not be shut down or shamed. Consult with others before responding. Pray for wisdom and guidance. Ask God to show you ways that He can be glorified when challenging issues of any kind arise. This is just one of many! My kids are still young and I personally do not initiate these conversations with them. However, they have asked questions once or twice and I let them know that I’m not totally sure about ANY of it, but this is what the Bible has to say. Every time we point them back to the God, we train them to research and understand more about God through His Word.
