The one with the Mask

This week, just for a little while, I took off my mask (see previous post).  I displayed a little more of my true self than I am comfortable with.  It left me feeling as if I were walking around in an open field, undressed, with nowhere to hide or shade to seek refuge in.  I felt vulnerable and exposed.

Was I right to take off the mask?

(Insert good Christian answer here ... 'yes, of course, God wants us to be open and honest at all times')

Over the last few months, a lot has been said at church about taking off our masks.  It is obvious really isn't it?  As Christians we are to live our lives with integrity.  We are to be open and honest in all we say and do.   We should therefore make every effort to peel off our masks, and live and love as our real selves.   Anything short of this 'realness' would be deceptive and dishonest, and not congruent with our faith and relationship with Jesus.

If this is true, then we should immediately take off and discard our masks.  Right?

I think there are a couple of questions that need to be asked before we go rushing about in a self-awareness frenzy, identifying and throwing away our masks.

Firstly, and most importantly, we should ask ourselves - 'Who is it we are hiding our true self from?'

If we are trying to hide from God, then we have a problem.  You see, we will never be able to do this.  We need only to read Psalm 139 to know this.  God knows our innermost being.  He knows our thoughts.  He has examined our hearts and knows everything about us.  We try to hide in vain.  Our masks don't fool God.  Take them off, and come before God as you really are and accept the love he has for you - the real you.

How about if we are wearing our masks before other people?  Isn't this wrong too?

If our masks are concealing our true thoughts and feelings from other people, dare I suggest that it isn't always completely wrong to do so?

Does that shock you?  I have thought quite a lot about this lately, and whilst I agree that we should live our lives with complete honesty as much as possible, I can't help but acknowledge that some masks are valuable.

There are some masks that are worn for self-protection.  It would be crazy to suggest a fencer participate in a fight without wearing a mask.  The mask is there to protect and enable a fair and safe fight.  Without it a quick thrust of the opponent's epee could cause great harm and end the fight prematurely.

There are times when we need to wear a protective mask to keep us safe whilst in battle.  Perhaps a mask is needed to conceal our weakness and vulnerability from the enemy. Or maybe the mask is needed just long enough for us to prepare and build up our strength before we attack.


There are also masks that are worn for the protection of others.  Surgeons wear masks whilst operating for a number of reasons, one of which is to protect the patient from infectious droplets carrying bacteria or viruses that become airborne through a cough or sneeze.  Similarly, there are times when we may need to wear a mask to protect those around us.  Sometimes a mask of strength may be worn to risk hurting others.

That said, these protective masks are worn for a period of time for a specific purpose.  The fencer does not continue to wear the mask once the fight has finished.  The surgeon does not leave the theatre and go home to sleep still wearing the mask.  They are taken off when they are no longer necessary.

We too should take off our masks when they are no longer needed.  The danger is that we get comfortable and continue to wear them.  They begin to form our identity.  Masks that are worn out of season stop protecting and start to form barriers.  They hinder the real you from fully participating in all that God has in store for you and they keep others at a restrictive distance.

I took my mask off this week, it wasn't easy, but I knew it was time.  It had been worn when it was needed, but it was beginning to restrict my own journey, and that I hope to walk with others. 

What about you?

What masks are you currently wearing?

Who are you wearing them in front of?

Are you hiding your true self unnecessarily?

Is it time to begin to take them off?



I am thankful that God knows and loves the real me - of course he does - he created me!  I am also thankful that he will help us to take our masks off at the right time.  He wont force it, but will gently encourage and support us as we do.  Phew!

The one with the Teabag

I am very blessed.  Yes, I know it.  You see, most mornings one of my sons will bring a cup of tea up to me in bed.  Some mornings I might even get two!  Life is good.

The other morning however, it was not so good.  My alarm had gone off, and been put on snooze, and there I lay, drifting in and out of sleep, waiting to hear the familiar 'chink' as a cup is placed on my bedside table.  It seemed a long time coming this particular morning, but it did arrive.  I slowly sat up, picked up the new Starbucks mug that had appeared, and with a content sigh, I took the first sip.  MMmmmmm ......

BUT - the MMmmmm soon turned into Ewwwwwww.  Something was wrong.

It was still hot.  It looked the right colour.  It was in the right mug (yes, that does make a difference!) - So - what was the problem?

It just didn't hit the spot!  Something was different.  Somehow, something seemed missing.  And then it dawned on me ....

Caffeine!  Or rather, the lack of it!

Somehow, the teabags must have been mixed up in the cupboard and the teabag my son had used was void of caffeine.

Not so good first thing in the morning! Thankfully, I still had time to have a 'proper' tea before leaving the house.

Later on that morning, I met with a friend (yes, you guessed it, for tea!), and I shared my early morning experience with her.  After laughing at how I can make such a big thing out of tea, she explained that she wouldn't have known the difference.  This got me thinking ...

How did I know with such assurance?  After all, it was early in the morning and I was still very sleepy and decaf tea doesn't really taste that different to regular tea.

But ... I knew.

The one with the mistake

Last week, a friend and I visited Vistaprint online with the intention of designing a Welcome Card for Wessex.  I have used Vistaprint fairly regularly over the last few years and think they are a great cheap and easy site for business cards.  If you haven't already, you should check them out!

We found a design that we both liked, checked it was fit for purpose and filled in the necessary information.  Pleased with the outcome, I ordered the cards, and even paid an extra £3 for speedy delivery!!  Our super-cool new 'Welcome to Wessex' cards would be with us in less than a week.  Exciting!

And so the wait began ......

Five days later a small parcel arrived, that I immediately recognised as a Vistaprint parcel.  They were here!  Yay!  (Yes, I do get really rather excited at strange things - I am the same with new stationary!)

So, with a great amount of eagerness and anticipation I opened the box, and there they were.  Black background, green and grey lettering, cool design, yes, they were good!!  With a smile on my face (easily pleased!) I kept one out to admire later, and put the rest of them back in the box.  And that was that.  Job well done.

Until two days later, when everything changed.  I glanced down at the card on my table and my little world of joy turned upside down and inside out!
 
The issue?  I had spotted a mistake.   There it was, in black and white.  I couldn't believe it.  I had double checked the details, and so had my co-worker!  Well - not well enough evidently as it seems that our church was now called 'Wessex Christian Fellowsihp'!

 

Although, the mistake is not glaringly obvious at first glance, it is still there.  The card is flawed.  250 imperfect cards, unfit for purpose.  What a waste.  What a disappointment.  They may as well be thrown out.

What if God saw us that way?

We mess up all the time.  Our character is blemished.  We make mistakes.  We think, say and do the wrong things.  Like the card, we are imperfect.

And yet, God doesn't put us back in the box and throw us away. 

Yes, he sees our flaws.  He sees us mess up.  He knows what we are really like.  But - he doesn't let our mistakes define who we are and what we can do.  He does not deem us useless, inept, redundant.

God created us and knows us inside out, and still chooses to use us!  He allows us to learn from experience and continues to teach us and develop us as we walk and work with him.

Our mistakes and imperfections do not change the way he feels about us;  He loves us unconditionally.  He sees the good in us, and knows our potential.  He doesn't scold or rebuke when we fall or mess up, but gently and lovingly encourages us to get back up, to learn, and to try again.

Be encouraged today, God loves you and has a plan and a purpose for your life.  He doesn't make mistakes.  Of course, we may (will!) mess up along the way, but our mistakes do not make us unlovable or of no use.  We have a purpose, and God will help us to fulfill it. Even during our darkest times, when we feel invisible, broken and faulty, God looks at us with pride and encourages us to keep going.  We can be confident that He who began a good work in us, will see it through to completion! (Philippians 1:6)

I am so thankful that God is so much bigger than my mistakes!  Aren't you? :)

The one with the slippers

Earlier on in the week I fell up my own stairs! 

If I said I tripped on a toy that had been left on one of the steps, or that I had been in a hurry to get to the phone, my fall up the stairs would be a little understandable.  But, it would also be a lie.

You see, I wasn't in a hurry, and the stairs were free from clutter.  I simply tripped over my own feet.  Or, to be more precise, my own slipper!  And what makes the fall even more embarrassing, is the fact that it has happened before, several times in fact.

Obviously, the fault lies with the slippers.  They are just over a year old now, and have become worn and stretched.  They no longer fit my feet well, and therefore have a tendency to fall off my feet as I lift them to ascend the stairs.  Yes, the slippers are to blame!

However,  I am all too aware of the saying 'a good workman never blames their tools' and wonder whether I therefore need to accept a little of the blame myself?  Can I really lay the blame on my slippers when it is I who choose to wear them?  I know they have stretched and no longer fit my feet.
 
I need to throw them out and buy a new pair.  Simple.  But, I like my old slippers.  They are really soft, warm and comfortable; they are like old friends to my feet!

The slipper incident reminded of several stressful shopping trips with my eldest son.  Although his old trainers had become too small for his growing feet, he found it very difficult to replace them.  Each new pair that he tried on was met with 'they are not as comfy as my old ones!'  With growing frustration, I tried to convince him that new trainers were needed, and although they may feel different, and perhaps a little uncomfortable at first, they would soon wear in and fit perfectly.  Thankfully, after much persuasion, a day or two of slight discomfort, and maybe even the need of a plaster, the new pair of trainers are liked, comfortable, and a good fit.  In no time at all, the old trainers are forgotten about and the new ones take their place.

I wonder how many times we hold on to things in our lives, that really need to be thrown out and replaced?   Yes, we may miss the old, and the new may be uncomfortable for a while, but eventually we will realise we have a better fit. 

Although I have focused on footwear, the challenge of replacing old with new is relevant in many areas of life.  Your 'slippers' may be something entirely different.  What do you have in your life that is no longer a perfect fit? 

Can I encourage you to consider trading in the old for a new?  Yes, it may be difficult to let go, especially if you have held on to the old for a long time, but if God has something new for you to take, you can be sure that it will become a perfect fit.  It may be a little uncomfortable at first; it may even feel awkward and possibly a little scary -  But as we let go of the old and trust God in the new we will slowly but surely recognise that God has a plan, and he knows what is best for us.  Just as a parent provides a child with new shoes to accommodate their growth, God will provide new roles, challenges and ministries to allow us to continue to develop into all that He has created us to be and do. 

What is God challenging you to replace today?  At the moment it may be comfortable and easy - but holding on to the old will not encourage healthy development.  God has something new.  Are you prepared for a little discomfort whilst you 'wear in' the new, in order to allow God to shape and develop you further? 

Don't stay in shoes you have outgrown.   Go on a shopping trip, enjoy the experience, and see what your new shoes will bring :)