Every day we live with a great irony: we have an unending desire to be accepted, yet, on the other hand, we're afraid to be completely and intimately known.
If you've seen The Mask, you will know that Jim Carrey's character hides behind a literal mask that accentuates certain character traits that seem to make him more appealing to the girl of his dreams. At one point in the movie he struggles with whether he should meet her as himself or The Mask. His dilemma is that he is not confident that his dream girl will like him if she really knew him.
Aren't we like that? Many of us carry feelings of inadequacy and shame and have convinced ourselves of the need to hide; to project certain images of ourselves that we falsely believe are more acceptable.
When we hide behind a mask, the relationships we share are less real. We are robbed of knowing we are not alone; there are others like us.
As a result, many of us carry around the lie that we're worse than the next person (don't hear what I'm not saying─we're not better than the next person either─just much more alike than we think).
To some degree, if we feel others would reject our "true" selves, then we'll carry doubts about God's acceptance of us as well and this can be devastating.
The truth is we are fully known and accepted by God. If we were only known by God as faithless, self absorbed, unloving and sinful people that would be devastating. However, God knows all about us and still he accepts us just as we are, for who we are!
Does it get any better than this!?!
Psalm 139:1: "O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me."
Captain Stephen Wiseman and his wife, Leslie, have spent 12 years in full-time ministry with The Salvation Army. Stephen serves as Chaplain at East Village Mission in Calgary, and is planting a House Church network in his neighbourhood. He has three children.