masks

not because of who i am, but because of what You've done. not because of what i've done, but because of who You are.

--who am i (casting crowns)

what’s up with halloween? i mean, what’s the point of dressing up in scary costumes.. trying your best to look frightening or just downright gory? it seems silly to me; especially since no one really gets scared by the monster masks or the jack-o’-lantern. well, at least, no one i know, hehe.

i know what would be *really* scary for me, though. it has nothing to do with ugly monster masks. nope. what’s scarier would be if everyone were to see everyone else totally without their masks.

picture this. you’re walking along the mall and you see an ad featuring this scantily-clothed sexy celebrity.. and you find yourself imagining some not-so-wholesome scenarios in your mind. then suddenly, your thoughts are revealed to everyone standing within 50 feet of you.. including all the lurid details.

or what if, during one prayer meeting, as you smile at your brothers and sisters in the community, you see your “ex-bestfriend” standing in a corner. you trusted her with your deepest, darkest secrets; but you got into a fight. now you’re not even on speaking terms. she sees you.. and suddenly, all her thoughts are broadcast to the entire rivers community. including that one secret that you don’t want anyone else to know.

why are these scenarios scary? because in truth, all of us wear our masks. we try to hide the filth that’s inside us. we put our best foot forward, making sure we look nice on the outside. we try to be polite.. respectable.. pious, even. we want everyone to see that we are good.

but what happens when our masks are torn off? if our dearest, closest friends could see us for *who we really are*.. would they still love us? would they even still like us?

it may be frightening to reveal everything about ourselves to our friends. even to our loved ones. but we need never fear taking off our masks before the One Who already sees us for who we are. He knows our darkest deeds and most secret thoughts.

brothers and sisters, as we strive to know the Lord, let us not be afraid to let Him know our *true* selves too. we do not need masks before Him. He knows *everything* about us. and He loves us just the same :)

that should be the end of all our nightmares :)