Masquerade

A masquerade ball sounds pretty intriguing. The idea is that each guest wears a mask and makes connections with others without knowing what they really look like. By the end of the night, a person will have found another person they really connect with. The masks are removed, and they get to see who they have been enjoying the company of all night.

For many years, I wore masks wherever I went. I had a mask for my friends. I had a mask for my other set of friends. I had a mask for my family. I had a mask for my coworkers. I had a mask for church. Each group of people were into different things and I felt like each group expected something different from me.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I’m sure part of the reason I wore masks was because I really wanted to be liked or valued by each group. I wanted to please them and give them what I thought they would want from me. I acted in a way with one group that I didn’t with another. I said certain things with one group that I wouldn’t say with another. Some positive things I restrained myself from saying so as to not be judged and some negative things, just depending on the group.

Looking back, I’m sure another reason I wore masks was because I wasn’t really sure who I was at the core of my being. Because I wasn’t sure, it was easy to adjust to what each group wanted from me.

The longer I live, though, the more I have seen that a person can only wear a mask for so long without becoming discontented, confused, frustrated, and insecure. When we do take off our masks when we are alone, we come face to face with our own fears, failures, and shortcomings that we hope no one ever sees. Sometimes we even act in way in private that we would never act in public.

Eventually, it all catches up with us. How I act when I think no one sees, does affect those that I have relationships with. How I act at work eventually affects my relationships at home. How I act with my friends eventually affects my spiritual relationships. No matter how good we are at our masks, our worlds will ultimately overlap with one another. Things we did when we thought no one would know will come to light to those we care about the most. Things we said in whispers will become a shout to those who look up to us.

Matthew 10:26b

For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.

I put on masks because I wanted each group to like and approve of me. When I finally took off those masks and looked in the mirror of God’s Word, I found out what I needed to do to look like my Father. I found out how I needed to live to walk out being created in His image. I took off the masks and I was who God made me to be in every setting I was in. I quit compromising to appease a group of people that I knew in my heart were spiritually lost. I quit needing a certain group to like me or think I was special. I already knew I was special because of God, so I didn’t need them to think so.

The craziest thing happened when I took off my masks. Overall, people actually liked me more! And I definitely liked myself more when I looked in the mirror. People knew that they could trust my character. People respected the fact that I was the same person in every situation. People admired my authenticity. I wasn’t desperate for anyone’s approval, so I quit putting myself in hazardous situations just because I was afraid I might hurt someone’s feelings.

Some so desperately want others to like them. However, when we really know God’s love for us, we like ourselves. We then no longer need others to find us valuable and that is exactly what makes us so valuable. How rare is it today to find a person that is secure, unshakeable, virtuous, content, and transparent! We can be that person when we quit trying to fit in where we were never created to fit. We don’t want to be a duplicate of the groups around us; we are an original masterpiece created by God Himself!

Father God, thank You for making me so unique. I know that I will only find who I really am when I seek the One I was created in the image of. I want to throw off all my masks and walk with my head held high in every situation. I never want to fear my private life overlapping with my public life. I never want to fear my social life overlapping with my family life. You are my spiritual life, and I want to bring that security into every group I am a part of. Please help me release specific people in my life that I have tried so hard to please and find acceptance in. My purpose is far greater than fitting into their duplicated mold!

#selfesteem #authenticity #approval