MASKS

Have you ever worn a mask?  I’m not referring to a Halloween mask or a costume ball mask….I’m  talking about hiding behind a mask.  Is who we see really you?  Do you even know who the “real you” is?

We’ve probably all donned masks at some point or another in our lives and may continually wear one. Why do we do that?!

Well, perhaps we’re not happy with who we perceive ourselves to be.  Notice I said, “ perceive” ourselves to be.  You’d think we’d know ourselves but the enemy of our soul is very adept at lying to us about our real identity which is a beloved and accepted child of the most high God!   Sadly, we are so ready to believe the negative about ourselves!  And we certainly would like to hide that “bad” part of us as completely as possible, so, we wear masks.

There’s the mask, EVERYTHING IS GREAT!;  I HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER – TOO BAD YOU DON’T. Then there’s the mask, I’M SO HAPPY; and MY MARRIAGE IS FANTASTIC; MY CHILDREN ARE BRILLIANT AND WELL-ADJUSTED; I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK OF ME, and on and on!

I wonder to what extent we are harming ourselves spiritually by this seemingly “normal” behavior of hiding our true identity.  I have a friend who years ago told me that when something is exposed to the light, the enemy doesn’t have the advantage anymore.  We are giving the devil and his cohorts the advantage over us by not being vulnerable and transparent, by not allowing people to really see us.

One thing I’ve noticed over the years in my own struggle with being real is that people who allow themselves to be transparent are people I’m more comfortable with, more likely to share my problems with and ask for prayer or counsel.  Likewise, those who appear “put-together” are ones I tend to hold at arm’s length, feeling they might judge me if I’m open and honest about my life.

Now, is that the way the body of Christ is supposed to operate?! I don’t think so! After all, Jesus is the Spirit of Truth and His Holy Spirit dwells within us! So what can we do to eliminate this ploy of the enemy and bring liberty to ourselves and so many who have been living a lie?

I believe we need to begin by taking off our own masks.  That’s quite possibly a very discomforting idea.

But if we consider that action in the light of the Truth, what harm could there be? Do we want to be like Jesus – or like everyone else?  Take a chance; start with someone safe – someone who has had the courage to be real with you.  And then continue one person, one group, at a time.  Surely the Lord will back us up, give us favor and acceptance as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus who is Truth. But even if acceptance doesn’t occur, “we will be true to Thee till death”,* living the rest of our days demonstrating  the spirit of Truth in a life of freedom!

Oh Lord, help us to be like YOU!  Enable us to embrace all the freedom you died to make available to us.  Grant us an extra measure of Your grace for this adventure in “realness”.

Amen!