Halloween is always intriguing to me. It's fun. I'm not one of those Christians who is anti-Halloween, in fact I think it's a great way to engage the reality of the culture you live in & be salt, light & connect dots for people between our lives & God. But that's another blog for another time...
Last night while I was sitting on my front porch passing out candy with my daughter who was dressed up like Cinderella (a gorgeous Cinderella by the way), it just kept thinking...why is this such a big deal? I mean we live in a tiny little Kansas town & easily had over 100 people come by to get candy fully dressed in disguise. Why is it so appealing to us?
Is their an innate desire within us to be something, or someone that we're not? Is there some level of appeal to wearing a mask so that no one knows the real you? Is there some level of security in disguising who we really are behind the costume? While this question was definitely driven by my Halloween experience, I think the same questions could be asked about our life & our experience pursuiting Jesus.
We dress up for Halloween with what goal???? To get candy? To get something we want? Or is it something more...we get the opportunity to BE something we want? Last night I saw everything from famous baseball players, to princesses, to zombies, to super heroes, you name it, we saw it. One night that we get to pretend & get what we want at the same time. But what if that's the way we live daily, and we just don't get our costume from the aisle at party city?
Have you ever gone through seasons in life where you felt like you were just pretending to be something you're not? With what motive? Trying to please someone or gain something you desired? Was it worth it? Sacrificing who God made you specifically to be for something less than? I think many people go through life wearing masks & disguises to cover up who we are & the stories that make up our lives, however God very directly tells us in Jeremiah that He has plans for YOUR life & they are pretty stellar plans. Why hide who you are? Why disguise who God wants you to be? Instead of running away from it, run to it? Being in God's will & becoming to person God has called you to be is sweeter than any piece of candy given away from a front porch with their light on.
God has specially challenged us, as followers of Jesus, to shine like stars. So stop wearing a mask. Stop putting on a disguise. Stop being a poser. Yes...you have issues, yes...you're a bit crazy. We all are. Rest confidently in knowing that the God who created everything...created you to BE you. So go be you, and be an awesome you. The absolute worst disguise or mask you could wear is pretending to be something you're not. Putting on the mask of a life you aren't living. If you aren't actually following Jesus, don't pretend you are. If you ARE actually following Jesus, don't hide it. There's no need to cover it up because you are exactly who God created you to be.
Happy Pretend To Be Something You're Not Day. I'm gonna go eat my kids' candy now.
Love God. Love People. Period.
J
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