Hypocrite

Studying my Sunday School lesson takes me down different avenues.  Countless concepts jump out at me and command my attention.  While going over the lesson this week, I was entranced by the Greek origin of the word hypocrite.  In the Greek, it means actor.  It was a description of the people who perform on the stage.  They put on different masks to fit the character that they were responsible for portraying.

How interesting!  We retained much of the meaning of the word in the English language.  People often classify members of the church as hypocrites.  They believe that we’re actors.  We put on our church masks for Sundays and tuck those masks away as soon as we exit the sanctuary doors.  My biological father is fond of saying that I need to quit messing up church clothes and going to church.  He doesn’t believe that the face that I present is a good representative for Christ.  In his eyes, I’m a hypocrite.

Whether we attend church regularly or not, we can be guilty of putting on masks.  You may put on your professional mask when you’re entering your workplace.  You may wear your good daughter mask when you are in the presence of your parents.  You might be a person who puts on your church mask before you enter the doors of the church.

I’m convinced that we wear those masks because we have no clue who we really are.  We wear those masks because we don’t want anybody to get close to the essence of who we are.  We wear those masks to protect and preserve our sense of control in a world that can be full of surprises.  Sometimes, it’s much easier to wear a mask than it is to be confident and walk assuredly.  Because if people really knew what was under the mask, they might be compelled to turn away.

Thankfully, I serve a God who is not afraid of the girl under the mask.  After all, He created me.  When I talk to Him and listen to His voice, I get a clearer understanding of my role in this world.  Then, I don’t have to play a part. I don’t have to act out a role that fits into man’s image of who I should be.  I can just be who He created me to be.  He gets to delight in His perfect workmanship.  #wepreach