Do you suffer from paraskevidekstriaphobia? Or do you struggle just trying to pronounce it?

As you may know, that word means a fear of Friday the 13th. Which, if you have a calendar, you may have realized that's what today is.

I am not superstitious. In fact, I think it's bad luck to believe in superstitions! Many of you will probably say you aren't superstitious either, though you do practice some "traditions" just to be safe. Perhaps you subscribe to the philosophy of one Barney Fife, who said he wasn't superstitious, just cautious! Statistics say that a surprising number of Americans do believe in superstitions to the point that they affect the decisions they make.

I grew up in a world that repeated all of the common superstitions. It was bad luck to open an umbrella indoors, or to walk under a leaning ladder. A black cat crossing your path was a sure sign of bad luck to come, and a broken mirror meant seven years of it. And, of course, you were never to say something optimistically, without following that by saying, "Knock on wood."

And then there's Friday the 13th. It is based on fear of the number 13 itself (triskaidekaphobia), which has its origins in Norse mythology. In a well-known tale, twelve gods were invited to dine at Valhalla, a magnificent banquet hall in Asgard, the city of the gods. Loki, the god of strife and evil, crashed the party, raising the number of attendees to thirteen. The other gods tried to kick Loki out, and in the struggle that ensued, Balder, the favorite among them, was killed.

Scandinavian avoidance of 13-member dinner parties, and dislike of the number 13 itself, spread south to the rest of Europe. It was reinforced in the Christian era by the story of the Last Supper, at which Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the thirteenth guest at the table. Of course, those twelve disciples and their Teacher had numbered thirteen on many occasions before that.

Whatever the origin, there are a lot of people who are especially careful around anything to do with the number 13, including when the date falls on a Friday like today. Some buildings accommodate those who are superstitious by numbering their floors, skipping from the 12th to the 14th. Some airlines likewise skip the 13th row in their seating.

I have always thought such superstitions were a little silly, even before I came to faith in Christ (though I still have to admit I like the Stevie Wonder song). When I was in high school, I intentionally chose 13 for my baseball jersey number, and one of my favorite memories--pitching a shutout in the state playoffs--came on a Friday the 13th. It certainly wasn't bad luck for me.

When you get down to it, those who are superstitious are practicing faith...in something, even if it's luck itself. Whether they believe in good luck or bad luck really comes down to their worldview, of who they see as being in charge of the world. Honestly, I think I would be afraid to fear bad luck, because of the dark world I would be putting my faith in.

On the other hand, some people who are Christians seem to practice their faith almost with a fingers-crossed superstition. They won't eat a meal without praying over it, not so much because they are thankful but because they want to avoid getting sick from it. Or they don't want to tell a lie "in church," lest lightning strike them. Others carry their Bibles around in their cars as if they are big leather-bound rabbits feet. Of course, most are careful not to use the word "lucky," even while practicing such superstition on every side. Instead they are "blessed."

Should a Christian be superstitious? I don't think so. We who are followers of Jesus should have an understanding that God is in control, and that He can be trusted. Thus, there's no place for us fearing things like a date on the calendar, or a ladder, umbrella or broken mirror. A cat is still up for debate, regardless of color, but that has nothing to do with superstition. It has more to do with whether you can ever trust a cat.

I am so glad today that my faith rests in the Creator of the universe, who is a gracious God that I know personally, through His Son Jesus. He loves me and has already demonstrated that love by sending His Son to die for me. (Romans 5:8) That love is not based on what I do, but what He has already done, and that's what I stake my life and faith on each day. So in that light, I am a pretty "lucky" guy to be so blessed by God. And I hope you know Him as well, and have experienced His benevolent grace.

I pray that you have a blessed Friday the 13th (and Saturday the 14th too for that matter), and I look forward to seeing you for worship this Sunday the 15th. 

--Pastor Ken