UNDER THE MASK

Stanley Ipkiss is a klutzy, push-over, and a don’t-know-how-he-makes-it-in-the-real-world idiot. Stanley’s existence is an absolute total disaster, so much so that he ends up on a rickety bridge in an old busted down Studebaker. However, he finds himself in the river trying to save what appears to be an attempted suicide. Instead of a suicidal victim, he finds a mask that literally changes his life. Later on in the movie and with the help of the mask, he eventually learns how to change himself into somebody that he is not.

How many of us end up on that bridge of life, looking to be somebody or something else other than what we are? Are we true to ourselves or do we put on a mask for another’s benefit? Actually, we all wear masks metaphorically speaking.

When we put on that mask, we are saying, “I’m blessed brother. I’m doing great, bless God,” but on the inside, we are hurting like crazy. On the other hand, maybe we are wearing that mask as a front that could garner us acceptance from someone else. In any event, when we put on that mask we are projecting to others something that we are not. Why do we do that? Is it because we fear rejection or are we afraid of not belonging to, or not fitting in, worrying about what others might think of us?

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well [Psalms 139:14].

Even the world knows this, when it says, "To thine own self, be true."

Let me illustrate with an example from my own life.

A couple decades ago, people called me the weeping prophet after the Prophet Jeremiah of the Bible. Not that I am a prophet by any stretch [1 Corinthians 13:9], but because I would weep many times at the drop of a hat as the emotional situations presented themselves.

I felt that I was a man and I’d been in the service and I thought I was hard enough for others to think of me in the same fashion as well. For example, when sharing Jesus at a Christmas party, I’d weep almost to the point of crying. This would happen frequently on other occasions  as well during sensitive and tender moments.

I’d notice that some folks would bow their heads in embarrassment for me. It got to where I didn’t even speak anymore. I was embarrassed for myself for always breaking down in front of everybody all the time.

I know that it’s OK for men to cry but to cry all the time. It made me feel very effeminate and I hated that. I was also ashamed as to what others would think of me as well. I didn’t feel like a real man standing in the midst of real men or standing in the presence of what society would call a man’s man.

I finally asked the Lord to remove this sensitivity from me. I prayed this whole scenario to Him. Well. . .God did just that and either removed it or only blocked my sensitivity. To this day, I have yet to totally breakdown over my mom and dad’s death. This bothers me terribly because I loved them with all my heart. Dad was my hero and mom was my support, my friend, and my spiritual leader [1].

There have been many other incidences that I should have wept and actually bawled but haven’t done so. It is at the point now that I hate who I am. Now I am not short on self-esteem but sometimes I feel like I do not know who I am.

I have asked God for forgiveness and to restore me emotionally but as yet, only He knows whether He will restore me or not. I know He has forgiven me but my emotions remain the same. So maybe this is my lesson for rejecting the way He made me. Maybe this is my cross to bear.

So. . .as someone who knows first-hand, each and every one of you are beautifully and wonderfully made. He made you like you are for a reason. So remove the mask and don’t reject who you are. In fact, embrace it, because you, like David, are the apple of God’s eye.
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[1] Dad didn’t ask the Lord into his heart until the last 10-15 years of his life. But he was the most radically saved person I’ve ever seen.

NEXT WEEK: I will continue with Understanding God's Word, Part Two: Formal and Dynamic Equivalency. Sorry for any inconvenience to my readers.