Masks // Luke 12:2
Luke 12:2 (MSG) | You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known.
Do you have any trick-or-treating plans for this evening? I don’t know that we do…things are quite different for us now that we no longer have any small kids at home and we live in an active adult community. On top of that, my nephew has my favorite Batman mask (hence the background for our verse of the day) and I know he will be the hero that his neighborhood both wants and needs as he heads out with his brother and sisters tonight.
Masks are interesting things. I certainly enjoyed my time wearing masks for dress-up when I was younger, though I aim to be perpetually young at heart. Looking throughout history, masks were used for many reasons; in fact, the traditional use of masks on All Hallow’s Eve was for people to disguise and protect themselves from the ghosts that came to visit before leaving on All Soul’s Day (or All Saints Day as we know it in our Christian culture). People wear masks for fun on such days, but also wear them more regularly if we’re honest. We don masks to hide who we really are deep down as a way to protect our tender heart, or project a different persona to someone else. This isn’t anything new and gets to the root of true hypocrisy. You see, hypocrite is actually a Greek acting term that means to play a part, often taking creative license with the role. That is something we all have seen and experienced many times over.
Jesus cautioned people against living their faith life as though they are actors in a play. As today’s verse cautions, we can’t keep our true selves hidden forever. Our masks will slip and our authenticity — or inauthenticity, as it were — will be plain for all to see. Masks can be useful, but if we use them to protect or project our lives from authentic living, that exposure will come and come painfully.
Undoubtedly you will see all kinds of masks today. Some will be funny, some will be whimsical, some will be confusing, and some will be scary. And I haven’t even addressed the masks worn by trick-or-treaters this evening. Make sure you are presenting the real you so people can see the real God that inhabits you. Don’t wear a mask to try and protect your heart or project an image, but be real and in so doing, help everyone see the sweet treat of life in the saving love of God in Christ Jesus.
