Who's the "you" behind the mask?

He comes around the corner and I hear "All units fire at will".  He looks like a Star Wars Clone Trooper.  He sounds like Star Wars Clone Trooper. The helmet looks authentic and the electronic voice synthesizer sounds real but those skinny, little,  pasty white legs and the four foot stature assure me that I'm not being attacked by an alien but by my seven year old son.  He's wearing a mask pretending to be something he's not.  He thinks he has me fooled but you know what? He doesn't. I know the little boy behind the mask.  I know his weaknesses and his strengths.  I know what makes him laugh and what makes him cry.  I know when he's telling the truth and when he's lying.  Why?  Because I'm his father.

So, what masks do you wear?  We all wear them but I think it's time for us to stop pretending. It's time for us to admit that often, the person we present to the world, to our friends, to our family, to our church, and even to ourselves is not the person we really are behind the mask. 

We all have a pile of masks.  We wear "bold and beautiful" when in fact we're insecure and lonely.  We wear "happy" when we're broken hearted.  We wear "righteous" when we're drowning in a sea of sin.  We wear "I've got it all together" when our marriages and our finances are in shambles.  Guess what.  Your Father knows the "you" behind the mask.  He knows your fears, your insecurities, you hopes, your hurts.  He knows the desires of your heart and the thoughts of your mind. He knows all of your hidden things, those things that even your best friends don't know, the things you've done and the things you've failed to do. 

Now,  I'm not suggesting that you climb up to the roof top, run to the front of the class, or stand on your desk at the office and tell everyone everything.  Let's just start with ourselves.  Let's just look in the mirror, slide the mask up, and see.  It's OK.  It's you and it's the only you there is. It's the you God created and God doesn't make mistakes.  We do, that's for sure, but He doesn't.  But the only way to be all that God intended you to be, is to be real.  It's hard for sure but unless you can admit the truth, you'll just continue pretending you're a Clone Trooper.

King David was a man that the Bible says was a man "after God's own heart" yet he did something terrible.  He took another man's wife (the wife of one of his loyal military soldiers), got her pregnant, then in order to cover his tracks made sure that the husband was conveniently killed in battle. So, the man after God's own heart committed adultery then murder.  OK, on goes the mask of denial and the mask of self righteousness. Then the Lord sent his servant Nathan to David. Nathan told King David this story about two men, one rich and the other poor.  The rich man had many sheep and cattle but the poor man had only one little lamb. The rich man was visited by a traveler and he wanted to prepare for him a fine meal.  So what did he do?  Of course he went and took the poor man's lamb, killed it, and served it to the traveler.  When David heard this story, the bible says he "Burned with anger against the man . . ."  Nathan said to him, "You are the man!"  Nathan removed David's mask.  Not a pretty scene.

This is the deal.  Eventually, our masks come off.  If they are stripped off like David's the consequences can be devastating.  If, on the other hand when we come before God and admit our struggles, admit our weaknesses, admit our sins, admit our failures, the Bible says he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  One last thing;  we need to start being real with each other as well.  We can't really love each other unless we know each other. The church will be just a social club unless we begin to address tough topics, take our masks off, and trust that God will begin to heal us.  I think Star Wars Clone Troopers are cool but I REALLY love my son!  God really loves the you under the mask as well!  By the way, our main website is up and running!  Give it a look and Bookmark it for later.  I61Project.Org

In Christ, David