It is almost Halloween and I thought this story sounds fitting for a devo thought! I`m not much for Halloween what it`s about other than eating candy and maybe dressing up silly in a good way, but I`m much too old to gather candy!! lol We don`t decorate the house for Halloween as it is not a Christian event. My devo thought has some true menaning about being a Christian and sharing light using a pumpkin as an illistrated example.

Has anyone ever came up to you and asked what's it like to be a Christian or maybe what do you believe in? I remember one time in school I had a locker magnet that said Jesus fish or I love Jesus, something along the lines of that in a Jesus fish shape or like those support the troops fridge magnets, shaped like that. I was getting something from my locker when a girl from my class had noticed the magnet as she was on her spare chilling on the bench across from me and asked a similar question like that. She had actually said "Are you religious?" I answered best I could with the answer "I don't typically use the term religious, but yeah I'm a Christian" trying not to stumble or be afraid as I was telling so.

 A short story about a pumpkin called The Pumpkin Story or some of you may have remember it as the Pumpkin Patch Parable told in various ways, but the meaning is still the same and meaningful as we check it out.

The Pumpkin Story 

A lady had recently been baptized. One of her coworkers asked 
her what it was like to be a Christian. She was caught off guard 
and didn't know how to answer, but when she looked up she saw a 
jack-o'-lantern on the desk and answered: "It's like being a 
pumpkin." The worker asked her to explain that one. 

"Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in and washes 
off all the dirt on the outside that you got from being around 
all the other pumpkins. Then he cuts off the top and takes all 
the yucky stuff out from inside. He removes all those seeds of 
doubt, hate, greed, etc., then he carves you a new smiling face 
and puts his light inside of you to shine for all to see. It is 
our choice to either stay outside and rot on the vine or come 
inside and be something new and bright." 

I'll never see a pumpkin the same way again. 

Author is unknown 

John 8:12 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 

2 Corinthians 4:6 "For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." 

The example, the story, and the verses are all pointing to the main reason that God picks us and uses us to be shining lights among the crowd. God wants us to light up the room with his glory and his light, different and full of life, ready to shine as well. Some days are not all that easy and you don't feel happy or feel like showing any light. God dose understand that, He understands of your hard time, but if you’re asked similar questions of are you Christian? What do you believe in? What is it like? Be ready to give your best and honest answer. It doesn’t have to be hours, you can even use this story to tell it in an easier way as well. Most people may tell a testimony or a part of their life why. When you do your showing and sharing some light with others!