Friday, November 13, 2009

Masks

Every October, kids, as well as adults, go to stores all over to find and buy the perfect costume. The one day of the year when it's alright to dress up and be someone or something else; and take on a role of something other than themselves. As Halloween is now over many will still wear their masks year round.
Whether Christian or non-Christian some people still wear their masks everyday. Literally living everyday as a plastic person and putting forth an image or idea that is not really them. Those who wear masks that put on a show of obedience and righteous living and all the while their hearts are calloused with greed and selfish desires. Those wearing masks that do not go to church do the same, in a sense. While they live an ungodly life unconcerned with anyone but themselves, they put on the mask that shows something different than their true person. So whether the person claims to be Christian or not the result is the same, plastic people wearing masks are not real; and anything that is not real is fake.
There are those that wear a mask pretending to be holy and righteous on the outside, but setting life goals and standards that they could never live up to. There are those that wear masks to cover their grief, fear, loneliness, and/or despair. Some wear masks in maintaining an appearance of living outside their means, only to find themselves in huge financial debt. Others wear masks all week and even put a different one on for church each weekend, projecting an image of having it all together, while inwardly struggling with sin and other skeletons in their closets.
Jesus faced these same types of people in His day as well. The Bible sometimes refers to them as the Pharisees. Jesus overcame them and provided a way for others to not be like them. Jesus saw right through the masks the Pharisees wore, and today, He sees right through our masks too. In Jesus, anyone can find freedom from wearing masks. If you are more concerned about your appearance and what others think then you are not letting God work from the inside out.
Make it your goal to live life as a real person, the person Jesus Christ has created you to be, not what you or everyone else thinks you should be. Remember that God sees everything. Our actions and our hearts as well. Today, take off the mask! God is big enough to lovingly deal with the real you and, at the same time, lead you toward being conformed to the image of Christ Jesus.

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