The masks we wear
Jesus loves you more than you can possibly imagine. He loves you beyond the mask (the person people pretend to be but aren't...the impostor). He doesn't love the person the mask represents...He can't, that person doesn't really exist. It's the person behind the mask that He longs to have an intimate relationship with.
Something interesting I've learned about the masks people wear is that the person wearing the mask always thinks their mask looks more real than anyone else's. Actually I think the masks people put on look more like the face of a circus clown than a real person.
If you listen to a group of people all comfortable in their masks get together you tend to hear one of two conversations or maybe the conversations run together. 1st everyone is bragging about and admiring the masks...then they start talking about the mask wearer who didn't make it that day elevating themselves in the process. Both of these conversation keep a person a safe distance from the reality of who they are and make them feel pretty good about themselves or at least pretty good about their mask. Wear the mask long enough and often times you will begin to believe it's really who you are. That's a sad state.
Often times people get tired of wearing the mask but it's hard to take it off. The fear of "then what" is strong.
There's power in the mask...at least a perceived power. With the mask on we believe we have control of our life and what people think about us. The great fear is if we take the mask off people will know who we really are and we will lose control and people may hurt us.
Allow me to help you with this fear, you will lose control, people will hurt you. After all, when the mask comes off the smile on the face of those still wearing a mask tends to grow religious fangs and they get mad or rather envious.
But when the mask comes off and the impostor is put to rest you give up control to a good God and you learn to live in the love and grace of Abba. There is incredible freedom from performance and fear. You live loved and you love.
Something interesting I've learned about the masks people wear is that the person wearing the mask always thinks their mask looks more real than anyone else's. Actually I think the masks people put on look more like the face of a circus clown than a real person.
If you listen to a group of people all comfortable in their masks get together you tend to hear one of two conversations or maybe the conversations run together. 1st everyone is bragging about and admiring the masks...then they start talking about the mask wearer who didn't make it that day elevating themselves in the process. Both of these conversation keep a person a safe distance from the reality of who they are and make them feel pretty good about themselves or at least pretty good about their mask. Wear the mask long enough and often times you will begin to believe it's really who you are. That's a sad state.
Often times people get tired of wearing the mask but it's hard to take it off. The fear of "then what" is strong.
There's power in the mask...at least a perceived power. With the mask on we believe we have control of our life and what people think about us. The great fear is if we take the mask off people will know who we really are and we will lose control and people may hurt us.
Allow me to help you with this fear, you will lose control, people will hurt you. After all, when the mask comes off the smile on the face of those still wearing a mask tends to grow religious fangs and they get mad or rather envious.
But when the mask comes off and the impostor is put to rest you give up control to a good God and you learn to live in the love and grace of Abba. There is incredible freedom from performance and fear. You live loved and you love.
posted by Mike Rea at 10:40 PM
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