Halloween is a big deal in our neighborhood. Families from across the area come to “trick or treat” in our neighborhood. The dual sidewalks and streetlights help folks feel safe and with only two entry ways, traffic moves pretty slow. When som new folks moved in across the street, I gave them warning about how many more kids than just those in our neighborhood would come. I think Craig was emptying out his pantry by the end of the night that first Halloween!
On one of those Halloween nights a few years ago, I stepped up my game. While Sandra took the kids around the neighborhood begging for candy, I gave out the candy. I put on an old three piece leisure suit and a scary mask. When the doorbell would ring, I would quickly open the door and go face to face with the unsuspecting kids. The first few times were classic. They jumped back and we both would laugh. It was going to be a great night!
Katie and Jack wearing PapaBear’s Halloween masks.
The next doorbell ring changed everything. I sprang out of the door to surprise the next little zombie only to realize that it was a tiny princess. This sweet little girl was terrified. She scurried back to her parents who looked at me as if I was a terrible person. I realized I still had the mask on, so I snatched it off and tried to apologize to her and her parents. The dad was chuckling by this time and said, “it will be alright.” The mom continued to stare at me with her death eye daggers. That’s when the dad revealed a truth I wasn’t ready to receive: “Oh you shouldn’t have taken off your mask. Now, she’ll always be scared of you now that she knows who you really are.” Wow.
People can be pretty scary sometimes, even when it’s not Halloween. Tempers can flare. Agendas get revealed. Addictions surface and dysfunctions jump out at us just like I did on Halloween. Folks who you thought you knew pretty well end up letting you down because of that other side they kept hidden from view. Sometimes when we are scary, it’s our masks; Sometimes it’s who we really are that’s frightening.
Did you know that the word hypocrite really means “one who wears a mask” or “actor.” In the old days of theater, actors wore masks to express an emotion because the audience was so far away that they couldn’t see the details of the actor’s facial changes during the play. So, theatrical masks were created to inform the audience during the production. It was a great practice for theater, but not a good one for daily living. Our family and friends want to see us for who we really are, not just what we are pretending to be. That’s why Jesus said “Do not be like the hypocrites” (Matthew 6:5). He was saying don’t wear masks with your life. Be real.
So, why do we wear masks, even when it’s not Halloween? I believe it is because we believe the truth of what that little girl’s daddy said. “Now, she’ll always be scared of you now that she knows who you really are.” Instead of frightening masks, most of us wear masks of confidence, prosperity, joy, and success. We want the world to think that we’ve got it all figured out and that we are doing fine. However, inside our hearts and minds we know that our lives are much more frightening. We might be hanging on to our marriages. Our finances might be on the brink of disaster. Our addictions, depression, and dysfunction have left their scars. We know that in reality we’re pretty scary without a mask.
By now, you are expecting me to make the invitation to take off your masks and be real. I certainly want you to do that, but even more than that, I want you to make a bolder step. I want you to love the folks who take off their masks. I invite you to love the unlovable. I invite you to pray for those without a prayer. Forgive the unforgivable. Extend grace to the folks who don’t seem to appreciate it. Halloween is a great time to be scared by others, but what will we do for the the other 364 days of the year? Leave your mask at home and get more comfortable showing your scars to the world, but more importantly get more comfortable seeing the scars of others.
Love one. Love another.
Jack
* This article is also published in the Gulf Breeze News, October 27, 2016 edition