Do You Wear a Mask?
Have
you ever heard of people being two faced? And have you ever felt like
you yourself had to act like someone else, in order to appease someone?
This is referred to as "wearing a mask." This is especially common with
religion and religious people. You may be more familiar with it being
referred to as "hypocrite."
According to one of my favorite sources:
Wikipedia, Hypocrisy is defined as: the act of pretending to have
beliefs, opinions, virtues, feelings, qualities, or standards that one
does not actually have. Hypocrisy is thus a kind of lie. Hypocrisy may
come from a desire to hide from others actual motives or feelings.
Now you can see why it can be thought of as wearing a mask. And it wasn't until I went to church with my sons in laws, and the Pastor preached on "Christmas Masks," that my eyes were opened.
The Pastor is Rick George, the church, New Life Community Church in Gardner Kansas. On there website you can hear recorded sermons from each week, and learn more about their ministry. I will reference their link at the resources section.
The first thing the Pastor quoted was "Everything you hope no one will find out about you, God already knows."
With this statement he quotes Psalm chapter 139 verses one through six.
"Oh Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought of afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou has beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." (KJV)
Translation- in other words, God knows what you are going to say, even before you say it. He knows your upbringing, the way you were raised, and who you are now. From Him, you have no secrets.
So why pretend to be a Super Christian when you aren't? Sure, people at the Church might have no clue; they might even think you are perfect, and one with the Lord. But yet, after Church is over, you go home, and have yourself a drink, and snuggle up next to your girl friend- who is married to another. Not so perfect after all, are you?
Another thing the Pastor pointed out, was that God hates hypocrisy. Yes, hates. With this he quoted
Matthew chapter 23 verses twenty seven and twenty eight. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." These are the words of Christ.
This one is simple to understand, and I am sure you have heard it before. It is one thing to be beautiful on the outside, and not on the inside. Also known as beauty is only skin deep. God doesn't like it when you pretend to be something you are not. Especially since He knows you, and He usually knows you better then you know yourself!
The next quote the Pastor made, everything you hope no one finds out about you, will one day be exposed. Then he leads us into Luke chapter 12 verses one through three. "In the meantime, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trade one upon another, He began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops."
You think your sins are secret? You think no one knows when you do something, and no one is there to see it? God knows. God knows ALL.
This sermon made me think about several people who I know for a fact are true hypocrites, and bold faced liars. And believe it or not, some of the people I thought of, are even family.
Through the Holidays, we smile and deal with people we don't even like, and usually most of them are family. We serve up a nice meal, exchange presents that we usually don't even need, let alone want, and pretend everything is all wonderful. Why do we do this? To have a peaceful Holiday, to share our tidings of great joy, to be able to say that we did our good deed, until next year.
Stop hiding behind your mask, and show people who you really are- if you dare.
This is your life; you're a grown adult now, the only person you need to explain yourself to is God. No one else, needs to know why you are the way you are. Sure, maybe you lie, cuss, and even commit other sins we need not mention. Maybe someone knows, maybe they don't. Maybe it's bothering your consciousness, knowing you have problems, that you are sinning, and you are trying to pretend you are something you are not. Aren't you sick of hiding behind your mask? Do you really think no one really knows? I bet there is someone out there that cares about you, perhaps even raised you, who knows. You might think they don't, but you really aren't as secretive as you thought.
Sometimes, you are more transparent then you think.
There are ways to get help, correct your mistakes, and fix the problems. You can go to God, pray, and even a Preacher. Tell them you need help. They can counsel you, and guide you. God wants to help you; He is there with you right now, waiting.....ever knowing, ever loving.....
Now you can see why it can be thought of as wearing a mask. And it wasn't until I went to church with my sons in laws, and the Pastor preached on "Christmas Masks," that my eyes were opened.
The Pastor is Rick George, the church, New Life Community Church in Gardner Kansas. On there website you can hear recorded sermons from each week, and learn more about their ministry. I will reference their link at the resources section.
The first thing the Pastor quoted was "Everything you hope no one will find out about you, God already knows."
With this statement he quotes Psalm chapter 139 verses one through six.
"Oh Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought of afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou has beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." (KJV)
Translation- in other words, God knows what you are going to say, even before you say it. He knows your upbringing, the way you were raised, and who you are now. From Him, you have no secrets.
So why pretend to be a Super Christian when you aren't? Sure, people at the Church might have no clue; they might even think you are perfect, and one with the Lord. But yet, after Church is over, you go home, and have yourself a drink, and snuggle up next to your girl friend- who is married to another. Not so perfect after all, are you?
Another thing the Pastor pointed out, was that God hates hypocrisy. Yes, hates. With this he quoted
Matthew chapter 23 verses twenty seven and twenty eight. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." These are the words of Christ.
This one is simple to understand, and I am sure you have heard it before. It is one thing to be beautiful on the outside, and not on the inside. Also known as beauty is only skin deep. God doesn't like it when you pretend to be something you are not. Especially since He knows you, and He usually knows you better then you know yourself!
The next quote the Pastor made, everything you hope no one finds out about you, will one day be exposed. Then he leads us into Luke chapter 12 verses one through three. "In the meantime, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trade one upon another, He began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops."
You think your sins are secret? You think no one knows when you do something, and no one is there to see it? God knows. God knows ALL.
This sermon made me think about several people who I know for a fact are true hypocrites, and bold faced liars. And believe it or not, some of the people I thought of, are even family.
Through the Holidays, we smile and deal with people we don't even like, and usually most of them are family. We serve up a nice meal, exchange presents that we usually don't even need, let alone want, and pretend everything is all wonderful. Why do we do this? To have a peaceful Holiday, to share our tidings of great joy, to be able to say that we did our good deed, until next year.
Stop hiding behind your mask, and show people who you really are- if you dare.
This is your life; you're a grown adult now, the only person you need to explain yourself to is God. No one else, needs to know why you are the way you are. Sure, maybe you lie, cuss, and even commit other sins we need not mention. Maybe someone knows, maybe they don't. Maybe it's bothering your consciousness, knowing you have problems, that you are sinning, and you are trying to pretend you are something you are not. Aren't you sick of hiding behind your mask? Do you really think no one really knows? I bet there is someone out there that cares about you, perhaps even raised you, who knows. You might think they don't, but you really aren't as secretive as you thought.
Sometimes, you are more transparent then you think.
There are ways to get help, correct your mistakes, and fix the problems. You can go to God, pray, and even a Preacher. Tell them you need help. They can counsel you, and guide you. God wants to help you; He is there with you right now, waiting.....ever knowing, ever loving.....
Published by Deneale K. Williams
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