What's in a Mask?

Last night, many of us saw everything from power rangers to Frankenstein show up on our door step wanting a piece of candy. Perhaps some of you reading right now were one of those in costume wanting that quick sugar rush. My son and I were fortunate enough to attend our first ever Immanuel Baptist Harvest Festival. It was absolutely incredible. For those of you who have never had the experience, there was everything from pizza to mexican food, from pony rides to hayrides, from bounce houses to 40 foot tall rock climbing walls. Not to mention the 75 game booths that surrounded the lot. A live band was onstage throughout providing entertainment for those who were resting and/or eating on the numerous haybails that littered the lot infront of the stage. But as I looked, I saw many other things, as well.

I noticed many unchurced people in attendance. And with a crowd of over 10,000 people, I'm sure I only saw a small percentage of them. Many of them were in costume, and some were not. But what I noticed about most of them, was a sense of uncomfortableness just being on the grounds of the church. Now granted, some of them had no sense of where they were. But for most of them, I could tell that as I talked with them they were acting in extreme opposition to their normal life. Many would look away, or hang their head. One even put his mask back on and walked away. That's when it hit me. Even as Christians, we behave the same way. When God's conviction falls on us, or when we are face to face with the Savior (which happens simultaneously), we hang our heads and do all that we can to avoid the issue. Many of us avoid that meeting with Him as best we can because we know what our lives are really "littered" with. No matter what "mask" we wear we are stripped of it before the Father. He sees beyond our false identity and calls us to be honest with ourselves. That is where we have to make the decision. Will we hide our true identity even from ourselves? or will we allow God to make us into who He has created us to be? Many of us continue to wear mask far beyond October 31st. Are you one of those?