It's easy to get caught up in fairytales. Something about them can draw us in. Maybe it is the idea that within the limitless boundaries of make-believe our imagination can run wild. Maybe at times we are just suckers for happy endings. Or, maybe it is the chance to escape, even if just for a few moments, the grasp of reality. The freedom to be what and whoever we want to be. To live out a story different from our own.
Growing up I remember the excitement of costume parties. It was as if Icould live out my own fairytale. As a kid I could be a doctor, a baseballplayer, a knight in shining armor, or even a pirate with a makeshift"wooden" leg. While dressing up was fun, the best part was "fooling" others into believing that I was no longer myself but the character I wanted them to see. Of course, to effectively pull off such a feat costume was important, but a mask was the key. Without a mask my disguise was useless because people could see the real me. There was a point when I thought I might outgrow the desire to masquerade, however, the older I become the moreI realize I never really stopped attending costume parties. In fact as I reflect, it is intriguing that they always seem to fall on the same day.
My point is not to be cynical but to attempt to ask some difficult questions. I think we know what it's like to live in the midst of "Sunday Smiles" as many of us disguise who we are and what we really feel. All around us there are hurting people and I wonder what message we convey to them when they walk through the door only to find us holding up our masks. And in not so many words we say: welcome to yet another masquerade ball.
I'm tired of picking out costumes week after week. I'm tired of the empty "how are you--fine" exchanges. It seems that of all places the community of God should be a place where we can let our guard down, where our disguises can fall to the floor, where masks are removed in order to reveal who we are inside, a place where we can be real! I realize there are boundaries and I recognize there can be certain dangers to transparency, but I think if we are honest we can agree the costume act hasn't worked. Until we stop masquerading and start unveiling it will be difficult, if not impossible, to be the Christ-formed community God intended. This means more than just unveiling ourselves in our own brokenness and humanity but this also means unveiling Christ in the midst of our everyday attempts to be real. We must not be afraid to share life with others out of fear that the shadows of our life might be exposed. God doesn't need us to be masked superheroes, always looking for the closest available phone booth to quickly don our disguise, but I believe he wants us to remove the masks, reveal our brokenness, and walk hand in hand with our brothers and sisters as we together, by the power of God, journey toward the restoration of all mankind.
I'm not saying it will be easy, but I believe because of God at work in us we have the power to do it. May God bless us as we seek to stop masquerading and start unveiling the glory of God in Christ each and every day of our lives. Next time we meet, I look forward to seeing your face!
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2 comments:
Thank you for continually challenging me not to hide as I would really like to do at times. If I expect people to be authentic and vulnerable with me in the therapy room or in life, I believe that we must learn to model what we preach. Many times we use it as an excuse that we don't receive well (such as a listening ear or encouragement) but how do we receive God's blessings if we aren't authentic. How will other's ever trust us with the darkness of their life if we aren't real with them in admitting our own shortcomings?
I pray that we will learn to be more authentic as we minister together in our marriage and our careers. Thanks for walking this journey beside me. I love you! -Sara
I agree with everthing that you said in your post. God wants us to be real. He wants us to throw away denominational barriers and to believe God's word. The bible tells us that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. We have to believe in everything that the Lord tells us through His word, so we can experience the fullness of Christ. I pray, that your ministry will flourish as you seek His kingdom first and His righteousness. God Bless you both ALWAYS! Zabad.
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