I came across a new website the other day which has caused me start thinking (uh oh … run for cover). The title of the site is Masquerade, and the first post talks about the masks that we wear that people see instead of the real us. Then the author goes on to discuss that in front of God, there are no masks, because God can see through them to who the real me is.

  I began to realize that I wear masks. I have my ‘work mask,’ my ‘church mask,’ my ‘with these friends mask,’ my ‘with those friends’ mask and my ‘with family mask.’ And at times, I realize I even have my ‘just being at home with me’ mask because with so many roles and so many masks to juggle it takes effort to keep them in place and it isn’t easy to let them go. However, on occasion, when it is just me and God, I let all the masks drop and I remember the boy and man I am and that I really do like him a lot and wonder where he is much of the time.

  Which leads me to the question; do people know who I am? Do they know the type of music I really prefer? Do they know my favorite colors? Do they know what really annoys me and what doesn’t? Do they know the situations and circumstances I have been through in life (and still have to deal with), or do they not have a clue because they never asked or seemed concerned about anything other than the current moment and how it affects them? And the big question is, why do these people rarely ask me these things or want to know how and what I feel? Do they ever ask what they can do for me and how to help me through a rough time, or do they just want me to be who THEY want me to be and do not want to rock the boat because of the masks that THEY themselves are wearing. And, yes, YOU are wearing masks because I can see them at times which concerns me that perhaps you can see mine as well, but we all treat them like the proverbial pink elephant in the living room.

  Perhaps the real me is just a melding of all the different masks into a totality of being and the real Jimmy is always there, not necessarily covered by a mask, but just using different gifts, abilities and talents for the given situation. Way down inside where it is just me and God, there are no masks. I know myself fairly well, but God knows me far better. He knows you far better than you can ever know yourself, too. That is a comforting thought for me because it is nice to know that there is always a place where no masks are required; there will be no masquerade ball before Jehovah God.

  I, for one, am excited because through these past few days of self-discovery, I have rediscovered the man I am and have realized that I am fairly much on track with what I think God’s Plan has been for me all along. It’s an interesting thought and concept … masks, that is. Are they necessary? At times?  Never? Do we really want to be transparent or to see the true people around us? I don’t know. As for me, I’ll be working on the masks. Changing the size, perhaps, making them smaller while adding some unique touches like feathers, beads and macaroni noodles. Who knows?

  And for today my friends, this has been the gospel according to Jimmy.