Hiding Behind a Mask

What do comic book superheroes and villains, children on Halloween, and masquerade balls have in common?

You probably guessed masks. Masks conjure up images of mysterious strangers and sinister villains. Or superheroes and playful children who wish they were superheroes.

We associate masks with entertainment today, but people were just as familiar with them in ancient Greece and Rome. Individual stage actors often played multiple roles and wore masks to differentiate their various characters. Still, despite Shakespeare’s line, “All the world’s a stage,” we were never meant to live life hiding behind a mask.

Masking Hypocrisy

For thousands of years, masks have enabled us to pretend to be what we’re not. The ancient Greeks referred to play-acting as hypokrisis, from which we get our English word, hypocrite. Today, we think of a hypocrite as someone whose behavior is not consistent with what they claim to believe, what they truly think, or who they really are.

When Jesus criticized the spiritual leaders of His day, He called them hypocrites. They taught the people how to be close to God, but their hearts were far from Him.

I’m not a comic book character or an actor. And I don’t wear a costume for Halloween. But I confess that I, too, have worn masks—not physically, but figuratively. I’ve said one thing while thinking the opposite. I’ve acted kindly, but with the wrong motives. And I’ve put on a spiritual front, knowing I harbored unconfessed sin. In short, I’ve been a hypocrite.

Life may seem easier when we are hiding behind a mask, showing others what we think they want to see or what we want them to see. We think we’re avoiding conflict by temporarily hiding our authentic selves. But in reality, we’re setting ourselves up for greater conflict when the mask inevitably cracks. Reality must eventually be revealed, disappointments will abound, and trust will be shattered.

A Better Alternative

Thankfully, Jesus Christ paid for all sin, including the sin of hypocrisy. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can remove our masks, keeping them off for the sake of truth. Life may become more difficult and relationships may grow messier. But the long-term satisfaction of authentic relationships is worth the sacrifice of temporary people-pleasing.

Halloween may be this week, but it’s time to set aside our masks in exchange for something better. Will you join me?