We recently celebrated a friend’s birthday with a zoom dress-up party. It’s fun to take on different personas with zany costumes, but as COVID-19 has shown us, masks can be limiting and suffocating.
Physical masks protect us from airborne pollutants. But wearing figurative masks to protect our image or hide our insecurities puts distance between us and others—including God.
Certain situations and people draw out our sense of inadequacy. When surrounded by people who are more successful, better informed, or more polished, we reach for a mask to fit in. Let’s look at some common types of masks.
Types of Masks
- The humor mask keeps conversations on a superficial level to cover the hurt and vulnerability an honest encounter might reveal.
- The victim mask says, “Focus on my problems so you won’t blame me for my inadequacies.”
- The mask of crisp efficiency keeps people from getting too close.
- Masks of anger, self-pity, perfectionism, boastful pride, super-spirituality, and the ever-needed caretaker insulate us from scrutiny.
These masks isolate and keep us lonely and insecure. Only when we remove them do we find true acceptance and healing. So, how do we remove our masks? The answer may surprise you.
Instead of layering on masks, God offers to wrap us in the righteousness of Christ.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV).
On the cross Jesus became all the ugliness that embarrasses and shames us. He died for our brokenness and sinfulness. Then He wrapped us in His robe of righteousness. Christ’s righteousness removes the need for masks of our own making.
Isaiah calls our righteous deeds filthy rags. The good works and achievements we do to gain acceptance before God and people don’t enhance the righteousness we receive from Jesus. They detract like a dark stain on white linen.
When we understand what Jesus accomplished for us, we can remove our masks and bask in His unconditional love and acceptance. We risk being real with others and allow them to know us as we are—people in process. If we hide behind our masks too long, we begin to wrongly believe they are our identity.
Steps to Remove the Masks
- Be real with God. The Old Testament poets and prophets poured out their confusion to God. They didn’t fake a pious pretense with Him. God rewarded their honesty by renewing their minds and restoring their hope (Jeremiah 3; Ps. 139).
, - Trust God’s assessment of you. If your standards for self-acceptance are higher than God’s, they’re unrighteous (Job 4:17). God accepts us on the basis of Jesus’ righteousness. Period. Do you?
. - Begin by being real with safe people who understand grace. With practice you’ll learn to be real with all people.
/ - Extend grace to those you meet on your walk through life.
God could have made us spiritually mature the moment of spiritual birth. Instead He designed spiritual growth to be a process. When we remove our masks, we show God we trust His estimation of us and His work in our lives.
During the COVID-19 threat we will continue to see many types of masks. But let’s not make playing a role one of them.
During the COVID-19 threat we will continue to see many types of #masks. But let’s not make playing a role one of them. #freedom Click To TweetAnd I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6 NLT).
Blessings,
Resources
Two July summits:
- Rebound Your Highest: Come back stronger after the struggle.
Check out the other speakers’s topics. I’ll be speaking on “How to Turn Messy Emotions into Mighty Faith.” - Savvy Homeschooler
I’ll be teaching, “How to Partner with God in Leading Your Child.”
Protect Yourself From Manipulation
Don’t be manipulated by the wrong definition of love. Get your copy of the free e-book How to Protect Yourself from Manipulation along with the info-graph “How to Stop Caving into Manipulation.” Click here for your free copy.
Photo by Bára Buri on Unsplash
Sometimes I link with these great sites:
#InstaEncouraements, #TellHisStory #Recharge Wednesday, #WorthBeyondRubies #TuneinThursaday, #Dance with Jesus, #Grace&Truth,
This is beautiful! I love the steps you have for taking off masks. I think we put masks on when we’re around people who are not filled with grace, so I thought that step was filled with wisdom! We don’t need to be afraid of what people think of us, but if we’re filled with that fear, than starting to take off our mask around those grace-filled people is a wonderful first step!
Emily, don’t we all enjoy being with people who are real and not playing a role for us? Thanks so much.
Debbie,
Thank you for such a relevant application of God’s Truth!
Yes, in Christ, we are complete, whole and acceptable to God.
Such amazing grace!
We all long for the day when we can cast aside the Covid coverings,
and with that, I pray many will step into a new place of freedom in
Christ ~ defined by His righteousness and grace!
Grateful for all the creative ways you encourage and teach us!
Sending Joy!
Kay
Thank you, Kay! When we grasp our acceptance in Christ it allows us to be real with ourselves and each other. And don’t we enjoy being with people we don’t feel we have to perform for or who perform for us?
We live in a world of mask wearers. I see this especially amongst people of the Christian faith so much so that when they get around a real Christian, they’re quick to accuse that person of not being a real Christian. All of it is annoying. Help us Lord to be real…real with you and to trust your assessment of us.
Yvonne, you’re so right. I love how God’s people in the Scripture are real, no glittering fakes. They are shown rough edges and all. May we trust His assessment and the process and give grace to ourselves and one another.
What a great message! I pray we put away the figurative masks and show love, compassion and respect to each other. I pray we show God’s love to every person.
Me too, Melissa. Thank you!
A great word for this time Debbie.
Thanks, Ann!
What a wonderful post! This expresses so well some of the things that have been swirling around in my brain. I love the way you defined masks and gave some ways to remove them. Thanks Debbie!
Thank you, Sylvia!
I enjoyed reading this post. I’m thinking of Jesus’ sermon on the mount. He taught us to be. Just be. To allow all he had put in us to come out. Wearing pretentious masks cover up the authentic us instead of revealing to a broken world what God wants them to see through us.
Well said, Calvonia. Thanks so much!
Amen Ms. Debbie. I think each of your four points all lead to a possible fifth; we must be real with ourselves. Something that I needed many years to learn is that life is much more enjoyable when I’m not attempting to be a “Chameleon” and fit into whatever environment I find myself in. Instead, simply endeavoring to be “the best me that I can be” means that I accept myself and I remain consistent and true to myself in every situation. I’m less concerned with fitting in or being popular/liked these days than I am at becoming a better version of me with each passing year. Well said author! #NoMoreMasks 🙂
J.D., you said it. We have to be real with ourselves. Thanks so much!
It’s so easy to wear a mask – I’m working on digging deep to remove any mask and be authentic by His grace. Grateful for your words today!
Melissa, I think when we feel threatened we pull them out on impulse. Thanks for joining the conversation.
Excellent post! I love: “masks isolate and keep us lonely and insecure. ” and “Instead of layering on masks, God offers to wrap us in the righteousness of Christ.”
The masks to put on are a self-protection defense…yet, keep us from true intimacy. So thankful that God sees through my insecurity and encourages me to “put off the things that hinder me from running the race.”
I appreciate the transparency of your post
Thank you, Jeanne. Isn’t it wonderful that God understands our weaknesses and accepts us totally in Christ?
Hi Debbie, what is your religion? I have loved the encouragement I have gained from all your writings and scriptures during Lockdown. However I have a problem with organised religion and the ‘Clicks’ and how they become social groups where if your face fits you are in or out? Is there somewhere where real encompassing love exists?
Lesley, I feel you pain. My Bible study is one place where I find real fellowship. We study the Word together and are very real with each other as we encourage one another to faith. I received a precious note just yesterday from one of them saying she’s served in the church her whole life, but through our Bible study she’s come into a personal relationship with Jesus and that has made all the difference! Glory to God! I do offer groups on zoom. It is not quite the same as being together, but I am enjoying the women I’ve met there too.
I love this article! Thank you for the insight.
Thank you, Katrena!