If you’ve been to the supermarket recently, I’m sure you’ve seen huge bags of candy and all sorts of decorations for Halloween.

And while many Christ-followers skip this celebration of ghosts, witches and skeletons in favor of harvest festivals and “trunk or treat” events, I got to thinking about Halloween and came up with some pretty important lessons we can learn from it.

1) Stay true to yourself.

Kids and adults who celebrate Halloween — whether they’re trick-or-treating, attending a party, or even just going to work — dress up in all kinds of costumes. Whether they’re scary outfits or characters from TV and movies or something else, these folks are spending the night pretending to be something they’re not.

And most of us feel that way from time to time, as if we’re wearing a disguise. Some people might even hide the fact that they’re a Christ-follower, for fear of being labeled or even ostracized.

I just want to tell you: It’s OK to be true to yourself. Don’t wear a disguise. Be proud of who you are — because Jesus certainly is!

2) Be a generous neighbor.

The most appealing part of Halloween for kids is the candy. And who doesn’t love a sweet treat from time to time?

Of course, going door-to-door in a costume and saying “Trick or treat!” isn’t the best way to go about getting candy. But when the doorbell rings the night of October 31, I think it’s good to show your generosity and giving nature.

While it’s not sharing loaves and fishes or manna, giving out chocolates to the children of your community isn’t a terrible thing to do. Maybe by doing so, you build a reputation as “that nice neighbor” and can represent your faith positively — just by handing out some candy.

3) Savor the sweet things.

I’ve talked a lot in this post about candy (which, in moderation, can be a lovely little treat) because it goes hand-in-hand with Halloween.

But then I started thinking about other things — far more important things — that can be sweet  and deserving of being savored.

Family. Friends. Health. Success (however you define it).

Of course, the sweetest thing of all is our relationship with God. There’s no candy on Earth that’s sweet enough to compare.

So just maybe, on October 31, after the trick-or-treaters have stopped ringing the doorbell, it’s worth taking some time to reflect and pray on all the sweet things we have in our lives.

Valuable lessons from unlikely sources

While Halloween isn’t a very likely source of important life lessons, sometimes we need to take a closer look at things to reveal some interesting learning opportunities.

Whether or not you celebrate Halloween as a holiday, there are always pathways to God in everything on Earth. Sometimes even hidden in a pillowcase full of candy!

Do you have a favorite alternative to Halloween? What’s the unlikeliest place/thing in which you found a life lesson? Feel free to share in the Comments below!