A WORD FOR TODAY, October 31, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, October 31, 2025
“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer. Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together, and had all things in common. They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 2:41-47, WEB
It is October 31st. The logical focus of today’s devotion would be Halloween. I have, in the past, written about the joys and the struggles I have with a holiday that seems to revolve around death. There is a house in our neighborhood (forgive our negative opinion) that we call “tacky house.” It is a mass chaos of spooky things like ugly ghosts, monsters, and witches. There are cobwebs everywhere. It is tempered by twinkle lights and blow-ups. There is not an inch of their very large yard that doesn’t have something to celebrate the holiday. They do the same thing at Christmas; despite the joyful theme, it is just as tacky.
There is another house in our neighborhood that has a large number of blow-ups. The yard is filled with them. Though it is still somewhat chaotic, there is order to the display. And joy. The blow-ups are fun and welcoming. Snoopy on the roof of his doghouse. Laughing pumpkins. Other decorations that focus on the fun of Trick or Treat. It is a yard that welcomes the children instead of frightening them. Even if you remove the horror from the holiday, I struggle with Halloween because of the other “deadly sins” that seem to be acceptable that night: greed, gluttony, lust, wrath, envy, pride, and even sloth. I even found a trend on the internet of groups that use the deadly sins as the basis for their costumes.
As a Lutheran, of course, October 31st has a special meaning. It was the day Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses on the Wittenberg Church door. The act was meant to begin a conversation about the state of the church, but it kicked off the Reformation. I love to talk about Luther and the Reformation. My costume for the day is a pair of headbands, one with devil horns and one with a halo, which represents a popular phrase Luther used “simul justus et peccator” which means “simultaneously saint and sinner” and is a reminder that we are made saints by God’s grace through Jesus’ blood, but we remain stained by sin, constantly needing God’s mercy until the day we are welcomed into our heavenly home.
Both Halloween and Reformation Day have been the topic of this devotion multiple times over the past twenty-plus years. I wanted to do something different. A quick internet search revealed that today is National Knock Knock Joke Day.
Knock! Knock! Who's there? Witch. Witch who? Witch ever one of you has the candy, open up!
Knock! Knock! Who’s there? Martin Luther. Luther who? Martin Luther, who is busy nailing a document on a church door.
Ok, so the second one isn’t really very funny. Yet, we’ve all gotten caught up in the humor of children who present knock knock jokes, some are funny, but others just make us groan.
Knock! Knock! Who’s there? Snow. Snow who? Snow use in hiding from these jokes!
According to a website about National Knock Knock Joke Day, the earliest joke can be traced to Merely McEvoy around 1900. “Do you know Arthur? Arthur who? Arthurmometer!” The earliest written knock knock joke was in a book of jokes for children. “Knock knock. Who’s there? Buff. What says Buff? Buff says Buff to all his men, and I say Buff to you again.” This was apparently part of a popular game at the time. Knock knock jokes took their current form in the 1930s in a newspaper column. They lost popularity until the 1960s when the form had a comeback during the television show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-in. The jokes are a staple in children’s human.
Humor is an important part of life. Though laughter is not always seen as a positive in the Bible, there are many scriptures that remind us of the value of joy. Ecclesiastes 3:4, “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Psalms 126:2, “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’” Proverbs 12:25, “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” Even Job could talk about joy, “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” Job 8:21
God promises to fill our lives with laughter and joy. This reminds us of His nature and desire for us to experience happiness. Even during trials, we can find hope in knowing that God will bless us with joy again. There is joy in Halloween and Reformation Day, despite the aspects that are troubling. Remember this, whatever you choose to celebrate. Today would be a good day to tell a joke or two, to post a knock knock joke on your social media or invite the children in your life to give you their best. The jokes might make you groan, but laugh anyway. Be happy. Be like the disciples who, “Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.” Fellowship with others today, sharing joyful moments together as we nurture one another in our faith that brings the greatest joy to the world.
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