Wearing Masks and Halloween

Tomorrow is Halloween.  As a kid I loved making my own costume and trick-or-treating on Halloween.  I was a hobo, Superman, Bill Clinton, Batman and then a hobo again.  It was fun to dress up and pretend to be something else.  To this day if I put on a mask or a costume I like to get into that character.  Like last year when I wore a warlock mask with a tuxedo; I had to create a persona for that character.

Back in Jesus' time on earth the hypocrites wore masks and took on a persona not their own.  Hypocrites were actors that wore masks and played the part of someone else.  Non-actors who were called hypocrites in Jesus' day (and ours) were called hypocrites because they pretended to be something they weren't.  Jesus uses this idea in the book of Matthew.

"You hypocrites!  Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"
-Matthew 15:7-9

When I read this I can imagine Jesus shouting this at me.  "You hypocrite!  You honor me with your lips but your heart is far from me."  I do this too much.

I play the part of the good Christian a lot.  I put the mask on and masquerade as a devout man of God while my heart and thoughts are elsewhere.  I think we all do this, which makes us hypocrites or at least at times hypocritical.  Doesn't it?

I would say, "yes".  This means we are hypocrites or at least hypocritical some of the time.  So, what do we do?

Many encourage Christians to take off the masks and be "real".  I think this is a good thing... to a point. I love authors like Donald Miller who write about "real life" and "real life" Christians.  I find their honesty and candor refreshing.  However, I think some of us may be taking the call to be "real" to an undesirable destination.

I see many Donald Miller disciples encourage "realness" so much that some Christians feel the need to experience a period of disobedience in order to be "real".  In fact, I think some in modern Christianity may be missing the point of all this honest and candid writing and speaking from these authors and speakers.

When I read honest Christian writing I am reminded that Jesus take us just as we are.  Like the old hymn says, "Just as I am."  This is absolutely true.  But brothers and sisters don't miss this: Jesus loves you way too much to let you stay just as you are.  The Holy Spirit's impact in your life is so powerful that you can't stay just as you are nor should you want to stay that way.  Christ takes us just as we are and makes us just as He is.  He will make you Christlike... guaranteed.

"He who began a good work in you will cary it onto completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

Friends let's accept and embrace one another just as we are.  Let's not encourage hypocrisy.  But let's: "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another all the more as you see the Day approaching."-Hebrews 10:24-25

Don't be a hypocrite because you don't have to be in the body of Christ.  Encourage each other to be open, honest and grow in the faith today.