Have you ever seen the movie, Point Break, with Patrick Swayze? I’ll never forget it. Not because Patrick was in it (though that was memorable), not because of the surfing and huge waves in the movie, but because of those stupid masks they wear at the beginning to rob the bank. There are four robbers, each wearing the mask of a US President. Doesn’t sound like big deal, right? For whatever reason, those masks completely freaked me out! I had nightmares about them for weeks!
I used to love scary movies. Halloween has never bothered me…haunted houses, scary masks, trick-or-treating…I loved it all. So what was it about the masks in that movie that disturbed me?
They weren’t scary masks. They were masks of good people, worn by some seriously not good people.
I’ve spent the last five days at the Christian Communicators Conference at Lake Keowee, South Carolina– Twenty-four women in one house who all want to be speakers. Can you imagine? We had to have scheduled quiet time every day like preschoolers, and preschoolers would have probably been better at being quiet than we were! But I digress…
I was so blessed by the transparency of all of these women. After only four days them, I’d made a connection with each and every one. They wear no masks. We are all women who have gone through different struggles in life, all trying to use our experiences to help others in similar situations. No judgment. The blood of Jesus Christ covers us all. No need for judgment.
Once we can accept the gift of the cross that God gave us through his son Jesus, there is no need for masks.
No need to worry about being judged by others. It’s only God’s judgment we need to worry about. Go back and read the verse on today’s prescription above. As Christians, we are to be ourselves; unashamed of our past or who we are, because we are covered by the blood of Christ. He calls us to share his truth with everyone, but how will they believe if they cannot see the work he’s done in us?
In the movie, the robbers chose those US President masks to hide so they would not be punished for the crime they were committing. If they did not have the masks, do you think they would have robbed the bank? If they knew everyone would see who they truly were, wouldn’t they have been more likely to obey the law and act more honorably?
It’s time to shed those good masks. Masks of deception. They may look good from the outside, but they also prevent you from healing on the inside. God calls us to be transparent and unashamed.
So when Halloween is over tonight, take off those masks for good!
From my heart,
Celeste
I remember that movie! Yeah, I thought the masks were hideous, but I never look at it the way you just described. You are so right, Celeste. People do were masks much of the time. I have to admit that I have too. God knows us the way we are and loves us the way we are. Too many times people judge others and give them a reason to wear a mask, but as you said we do not have to worry about being judged by others for it is God’s judgement that counts.
For me, Christians with integrity let themselves be seen as repentant sinners loved and forgiven by God through the blood of His only Son who gave himself so freely on the cross for us. By presenting who we truly our, loved and forgiven sinners who follow Christ, we can better lead others to Christ.
It’s in sharing our joys and sorrows that we are able to make an impact in another’s life. Good article.
Thanks so much Dave and Cynthia…I love getting comments! =o) And it’s always good to see that the point I’m trying to make is getting across.