“Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without, and know we cannot live within.”
- James Arthur Baldwin
Masks are something I have worn all my life. I’m a master at hiding and can fit into just about any situation. Over the past year I have realized that I am sick of walking around switching from one mask to another, hoping that one of them fits just right.
Ironically, I know God created me to stand out. I know God created us all different, but some people he made especially to stand out. For example, when I was 3 years old I came down the stairs with a pink glove on my right hand and a rainbow striped on my left, they matched perfectly. Up until I was about ten years old I didn’t find it at all odd that I always wore mismatched gloves and was surprised by all of the people with matching ones.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve struggled with my desire to stand out. On one hand it’s who I am, but on the other, it means I have to walk around naked, without a mask. This means people can see me. This is one of my deepest fears.
Over the past year I’ve earnestly been praying that God would let me see myself through his eyes, but it’s hard to see when your face is covered in layers of masks. I’m not talking about a simple feathered masquerade mask they give out at prom. I’ve been walking around with these huge, misshapen plaster masks layered with the world’s strongest super glue. So, it’s safe to say that the image in the mirror has been little hazy from where I stand.
Luckily, I know someone who can see through my masks and straight into my heart. Gently, he is calling me by name, showing me that who I was pretending to be to everyone else was not the person he saw. The person I saw in the mirror was not the daughter he created. He pursued me, and captivated me with his love. As I continue to trust him, he gently pulls away each false face. Revealing that beneath all of those horribly uncomfortable masks is his incredible work of art.
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