Mask

MASKS

 

Halloween is upon us and though I stopped celebrating it years ago, (after being presented with its history in a bible study) , I still adore seeing my little people dressed up and enjoying  their imaginary roles of a happily concocted transformation in costume.  

 

But during this season we are besieged with costume options, and it occurred to me one day that we, as adults don’t have to wait for a season to dress up and imagine a transformation, we simply put on our self constructed imaginary masks and often times live within the veil of them.  I know because I am one of those who has done that, and I do believe, in all honesty, that each one of us has also experienced this option at one time or another. 

 

Take a minute and look at this definition and some of the synonyms: Mask: a manner or expression that hides one’s true character or feelings; a pretense, semblance, veil, screen, front, false front, veneer, blind, disguise, guise, concealment, cover, cover-up, cloak, camouflage.

 

Any of those sound familiar?  Yikes, it made me consider what I try to cover up through pride, or as a result of insecurity, or fear, or rejection, or loneliness, or grief, or envy etc.  We all have got our “things” and “masks” that we hide behind and whatever those things are, they are preventing us from being honest and transparent with ourselves and with others. 

 

But haven’t there been times when you have had to courage to lay those masks down and fess up?  And then haven’t you realized that those things that you may have been hiding are the very things that someone else has experienced and a door of true communication was suddenly opened. The freedom of the burdened facade that lingered behind that mask had been released.  And it wasn’t so bad was it?   We all have got stuff...that we are not proud of and it takes courage and a true grit effort sometimes to be the first one to say, “not worth the trouble anymore to hide behind a screen of false fronts.”

 

Ok, now this kind of talk even makes me a little edgy, because it has a tendency to dig a little deeper that most folks like to talk about.  But here is the reality that comes swooping down into my heart when I choose to come face to  face with the of any or all of those hidden feelings and things that were brought up earlier; I can put on the greatest disguise ever and fool most of the people whose paths I cross, ohhhhh but there is no fooling God! No mask can cover, no costume can transform, and no action can erase that which is a very part of my reality.  

AND GOD isn’t judging...it is me who is my worst enemy.  He sees my inadequacies, my mistakes, my insecurities, and his forgiveness and grace gives me the freedom to live without the bounds of a masked existence.  He sees my inside, my heart and my mind,  while others so many times are only given the option of  seeing the mask, that so carefully disguises the stuff that proves that I have not got it all together.  Well, so what, nobody else does either, that is why we so need a Savior to guide us and protect us and forgive and give us the desire to be not only true to ourselves but real to others.  

God is LOVE, we have heard that so many times, but have we truly accepted that love?  A love that goes beyond our sins, our longings, our disappointments, our foiled attempts to “do life ourselves without his help”.  He sees our insides, and looks at us from inside out while the world looks at us in reverse. He knows all that we think, and he also knows how we are programmed, and how we respond and what our needs are.   Guess so: he was the one who created us and packed us with weaknesses and strengths and talents, ones that we still probably have not yet figured out.  But we also are packed with love, that comes from our Heavenly Father, that is then suppose to be filtered into a love for ourselves, knowing that God has put us on this earth for His own purpose. He created us to be just who he has deemed us to be  but also to love others in spite of their shortcomings.... just as God loves us in spite of our own. 

 

We do not need a mask, we need a true acceptance of the LOVE that Christ has for us. And realize that we are a masterpiece in His eyes and should stand tall in the midst of our inadequacies knowing that God is working.  In His wisdom and sovereignty, He even uses those life experiences and flub-ups to teach us HIS lessons of love, forgiveness and acceptance and grow us and transform us into being the very vessel that he uses to further His kingdom.  

So next time you consider putting on your Mask:

Think a minute about which acronym is best fitting for your BEST resolve: 

M A S K - Mental Art of Shielding Kinks

M A S K - Making the Almighty Savior Known

 

Dear Lord, Help me to embrace that unconditional love that you have freely given to me.  Help me to not sidestep the opportunity to be real and authentic to myself so that I can be an encouraging light to others and love them well through you.  Remind me  when I quickly grab my MASK to choose to reflect you my Mighty Savior rather than to shield my kinks.  And Lord please teach me to  finally just set my self made mask aside and depend solely on you as my comfort and shield.  Faithfully guide my steps, and use my thoughts and words and deeds to  encourage those who you have put in my path so that they may come to know you and seek your ways.  In the glorious name of your son Jesus, I pray! Amen

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!