Masquerade

Again yesterday this topic came up, this time it was in our bible study, Rob Bell (an intriguing author and speaker) in Rain a segment of his nooma video series, questions why do we hide our problems from each other, why do we pretend that we've got it all together? Does anyone have it all together? Of course the answer is no, none of us do, but we seem to think that if we protect ourselves everyone will think we do and we can all keep our fake smiles on and all stay on the yellow brick road.
Yet is this good? Is keeping our imperfections or struggles hidden - is this helping or encouraging you or i?? I think satan has us convinced that we need to keep our selves hidden in order to preserve the facade - why?.... cuz it keeps us distant from one another, it makes us believe we are in this (struggle or low point) all alone. Yet alone makes us, well, me at least, feel weak and vulnerable - and that is exactly where he wants me. Then i become discouraged and beaten down. I'm not saying that we need to share our deep intimate problems with the world, but i am saying we, and mainly i here, need to learn to be a lot more real with the people i love and who i know really love me. God gives us the body to build us up, to stand beside one another and say... "i love you, you are not in this alone, you are not the only screw up!" That... that is encouraging!! :o)
And so my prayer today is: God make me more real!

"...encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." (heb. 3:13)

Here is a song by Casting Crowns, which goes along with this whole idea:

Stained Glass Masquerade


Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small
Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away,
like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it,
maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin,
I play the heart again
So everyone will see me
the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart


But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be
Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay