Masks or Authenticity?

Its Halloween. It's time to put on our masks and fancy costumes and pretend to be someone we aren't. For some of us, this is familiar territory. We wear masks on a regular basis ~ masks that hide our true feelings, thoughts, attitudes and ideas.

Certainly, one could argue that mask wearing is the grease of social interaction. After all, we can't be telling our boss how much we dislike him or a ticket-writing cop how much we despise authority and think that the process will go smoothly. There are definitely times that we need to interact contrary to our thoughts and feelings. However habitual mask-wearing gets us into all kinds of trouble, and sometimes we lose ourselves in the process.

I want to live "authentically" but I don't want to be driven by my feeling, false thoughts or inappropriate actions. I want to live an authentic faith. I don't want my faith to be based on circumstances, current theological thought, an emotional response to worship music. I want my faith to be based on a personal relationship with God, a relationship that I seek out as eagerly as He does. And I want my faith to be apparent in my every day life. I don't want to wear a politically correct mask to hide a belief that others may find offensive. At the same time, I want my words and actions to glorify Him.

So I'm going to keep mask wearing in its proper place. And I'm going to enjoy the costumes tonight as the little goblins and princesses come knocking on my door.