Most of us have felt rejected or unaccepted before. It’s not a good feeling. Actually, its one of the worst feelings in the world. We as humans have a deep internal need to feel accepted and loved. The feeling of love is critical to our survival at a young age. If babies don’t receive love they become sick and can even die from it. But as we grow up and develop into rational people, we still desire love but sometimes we begin to question the reasons why we are not loved. Is it because I’m ugly, or my figure? Perhaps we feel like the things that we have done, or things that have been done to us will not be accepted by others.
So, logically, if humans have an internal need to be loved and accepted, but don’t think that they will be because of some “thing” they have done or that has been done to them, what will logical people do? They will try to hide that thing. They will try to cover it up. They put on a mask.
The nice thing about masks is that they disguise reality. They present a picture to the world that is believable to those looking at it. The mask says to the world, “see I’m ok and just like you and so you can accept me and love me.” But we believe that we can’t be loved without it.
Two problems with masks:
- Masks make it hard to breathe.
o When you are behind a mask, you can never breathe as well as without it. Your face gets sweaty and you may even start to feel a little closed in. Have you ever felt closed in and hard to breathe? Its not a good place to be.
- Masks only cover up, they don’t fix.
o Masks are made to conceal, but they are not permanent. They are temporary. No matter how long you wear it, the same person is still behind the mask. Masks don’t fix things, they hide things.
But God sees everything and he knows everything and he knows everyone. Read these verses. (Matthew 10:30 Psalm 139:4 Job 28:24)
We buy into the idea that the rest of the world is perfect and we are not. The rest of the world is put together and we are not. No one else has been through what I’ve been through, and so on.
But God says to us “Hey, I see you. I know you, and I can help.” God says “I’ve seen what has happened to you and I love you. I’ve seen what you’ve done and I love you despite that.” When we accept that God loves us for who we are and that we don’t have to wear a mask around him, it is a relieving thing to know.
Jesus loves us and has provided a way for us to have life and to be healed from out hurts. This is good news.
Two Things Jesus Does…
1. Jesus accepts us as we are (Psalm 31 1-10, 21-24)
2. Jesus restores life (John 10:10 and Psalm 23)
After we have dealt with our own masks, we then need to turn around and love those that are around us that are wearing masks. They are everywhere. They are in your schools, and at work, and even here at church. Do you love those people and show them that they don’t have to hide from you because you won’t judge them because God didn’t judge you, he loved you? Are we willing to help the hurting.
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