The Masks We Wear

Read Genesis 27 and Daniel 1

As we are well aware, Halloween is this week. Our church grounds will be invaded by about 1000 people for our annual Halloween festival. Preparations are well underway for this great community outreach event.

But Halloween has gotten to be big businees. Costumes used to be largely homemade concoctions. Sheets, mom's makeup and jewelry, felt from the craft closet and other household items were put together in creative ways to come up with a costume. Now Halloween stores pop up all over the city with elaborate (and expensive) costumes for those of all ages to use to dress up as their favorite character.

But wearing masks is nothing new, though masks are certainly more apparent and tangible on Halloween. In our desire for acceptance, it is easy sometimes to lose sight of who we really are and who God has created us to be. Sometimes we also wear masks to hide the pain and hurt inside us. We use masks to keep ourselves from being vulnerable or fully entering into a relationship with others.

In Genesis 27 is the story of the brothers Jacob and Esau. They were twins with Easu being the firstborn. In Jewish society, the firstborn received the birthright of the father. But Jacob and his mother stole the birthright by dressing Jacob up in a costume. Jacob had to leave home for a long time afterwards to avoid Esau's anger. This was a bad situation of his own making.

Daniel's situation was not of his own making. He was in exile. And while there, he refused to give up his identity. He was determined to continue being faithful to his religious customs. He would not put on a mask and remained true to himself.

To move from a mask-wearer to a Daniel takes one step at a time. It takes deciding that TODAY you will take off the mask. After that, you will take it off tomorrow. You will be able to do so because God will be helping you to grow. God wants you to live a full and abundant life and God will be empowering you each and every day to take thase steps. Remember these words from Psalm 139:

Lord you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me too lofty for me to attain...For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderly made.

May we each with God's help find the courage to take off our masks and be who God wants us to be.

When have you wished that you could be someone else?
How would the story of Jacob been different if Jacob had accepted who he was?
What is one positive thing about yourself that you want to show the world this week?