It is October and Halloween costumes are out everywhere. Costumes, Masks, all hiding designed to hide our true self- they sit on the store shelves. Now , I must say that I myself like to dress up, have some fun. One year my girlfriends and I went to a local British Tea House to celebrate a friends birthday. As it was one of those birthdays that end in ZERO, … we decided that it would be appropriate to come dressed up as old ladies!! I found all kinds of old hats with veils, old gloves, eyeglasses, etc in my Mothers basement! I was ready! Gathering up my bag of “old lady’ clothing… I headed to the tea house, planning on changing in the bathroom after arriving there. When I got there — to my friends utter dismay, I found that I had forgotten to bring an “old lady’ dress for her! What now?! Our friend that was actually having the birthday was very unaware that SHE would be having TEA with 3 other ‘old ladies’ who would be in costume for this special time. I HAD TO find a costume and fast!! Dashing into the bathroom at the tea house, I surveyed my options— but then– AHA! My eyes landed on the window– where beautiful long lace curtains hung!! Wouldn’t THEY make a great impromptu “old lady” dress !!? To my friends horror, I took the lace curtains OFF the rods and fashioned a wrap around “dress’ for my uncostumed friend!! Then I plunked an old hat with a veil on her blond head and “presto” we were set! As we walked into the fancy tea room, the waitress eyed the long white lacey “dress” that my friend was “wearing” with a suspicious eye!
We uneventfully had our tea, honored ( and embarrassed) our friend with the birthday and had a all around great time!! Laughing we replaced the long white lace curtains, just where we had found them (in the ladies bathroom) as we left the tea room. Whata fun memory that is now.
Yet it makes me think of how we often wear a MASK, or A COSTUME in our everyday interaction with people. We are not free to really BE who we are. I just love what Chuck Swindoll writes in his workbook entitled “Dropping Your Guard”.
One thing that keeps us isolated is our unwillingness to disclose to others who we truly are. This results from the fall of humanity into sin. Adam and Eve tried to hide from God after they sinned. They no longer wanted to be known for who they were or what they had done.
Full self-disclosure is something we tend to avoid at all costs. We are prone to keep people out of our private worlds by wearing masks—not physical masks but relational ones. Some of us wear an “I’m tough” mask so others won’t see how weak and frightened we are. Many of us display an “I’m holy” mask that hides our struggle with temptation and sin. The “I can handle anything” mask may cover up our insecurities for a season, but behind it we may feel bewildered and hurt.
Are these cover-up games worth playing? Certainly not. They undermine the very way God designed us to live. How could a life characterized by phoniness, loneliness, and slavery to a lie ever compare to one marked by honesty, companionship, and freedom to live the truth? The latter lifestyle is the one God wants us to live; it’s the one that will bring us the greatest joy. So let’s commit ourselves to putting away our masks as we learn the challenges and rewards of relating to others in an unguarded way. True community in the body of Christ can only come when we present our true selves to each other. This requires dropping our guard.
Adapted from the Bible-study workbook Dropping Your Guard from the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles R. Swindoll (Plano, Tex.: Insight for Living, 2005).
Now read the lyrics to Joy Williams’ popular song entitled “Hide”
To anyone who hides behind a smile
To anyone who holds their pain inside
To anyone who thinks they’re not good enough
To anyone who feels unworthy of love
To anyone who ever closed the door
Closed their eyes and locked themselves away
You don’t have to hide
You don’t have to hide anymore
You don’t have to face this on your own
You don’t have to hide anymore
So come out, come out, come out wherever you are
To anyone who’s tryin’ to cover up their scars
To anyone who’s ever made a big mistake
We’ve all been there, so don’t be ashamed
Come out, come out and join the rest of us
You’ve been alone for way too long
And if you feel like no one understands
Come to the One with scars on His hands
‘Cause He knows where you are, where you’ve been
His scars will heal you if you let Him
Know that you are LOVED just as you are by God. As my Pastor (John Bishop) often says, “You cant be fullyl loved until you are fully known.” He told us that in Romans 12 we are not to conform any longer to the pattern of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Be you… BE REAL… Be authentic.
