“I can’t believe it! Is it really possible that things be as you’re telling me? But this is way too much!”
“Oh, let me tell you even more… I’ve also heard that some churches have become a meeting place for masks and that masks feel so at home there. Oh, how they all look forward to church services, so that they can meet up with so many of their sisters! Then they share with one another what has been going on since they last met. Up until now, I’ve only heard about all of this, but I hope I will soon get to experience it, as well. I know you are very disappointed by everything you’ve learned now, but I am, on the contrary, very excited. If things were different, who would ever take us? Who would ever need us? But thus, you see, we have some hope.”
“Well, I understand what’s you’re saying, but still it’s very hard for me to believe that I could have been so wrong about those Christians, whom I used to admire so much! You know, when I was with them, I was so impressed! I felt so good! I’ve even been considering starting to attend their church, and I’ve almost decided to join them. But now, after all you’ve been telling me, I think I may give up the idea. I don’t mean to offend you, and I hope you don’t mind me telling you this, but I’m afraid I might become just another mask-owner. So for now, I think it’s better for me to stay as I am. I know I’m far from being perfect, but at least I am MYSELF…
My dear friend, maybe you find yourself in this story and are ashamed to admit that you are one of the Christians who have grown accustomed to wearing masks. You may have been practicing this for so long that you have almost come to believe you are indeed the person that others see when you are wearing the mask. But you need to be aware of the fact that hypocrisy does not only harm you, but contributes to damaging the witness of the whole church to the people around. It is very likely that someone will refuse coming to God because of your negative example of Christian life. Don’t neglect the value of the name of Christian that you are wearing, but seek to live a life which is worthy of it.
You may identify with the person talking with the mask, and you may be so disappointed by the hypocrisy of many who claim to be Christians, that you prefer to remain as you are. Indeed, it is painful to see that many so-called Christians are far from what they should be, but still that cannot be an excuse for someone to indulge in sinfulness. God will not hold you accountable for the way others have lived, but you will have to answer to Him for what you have done with your own life. The church is not, and never will be, an assembly of perfect people, and when you come to accept that, you will learn the true meaning of the love of Christ, the One who loved us unconditionally and was willing to sacrifice Himself for us, despite all of our imperfections.
~Author Unknown
