With Halloween being two days in Time’s rear-view mirror, we now set our sights on the soon-to-arrive Thanksgiving holiday.  However, before we completely leave Halloween behind, I would like to reflect back upon it for just a moment.

     Of course, as is the case with any and all Halloween holidays, we saw numerous costumes.  Many of them involved masks of various shapes and sizes.  Most of those masks have now been cast aside or stored away.  However, whether we realize it or not, many people continue to adorn themselves with masks.  We need to be careful that we are not counted amongst them.

     There are some who are willing to wear the mask of worldliness.  You see, a person may be a child of God.  He/she might have a strong desire to serve God faithfully and live according to His will.  Yet, when around others who do not share those views, rather than letting his/her light shine (Matt. 5:16), he/she puts on the mask of worldliness instead.  That person seems ashamed of his/her faith and hides it behind a mask.  Such a mask allows the person to blend into the surroundings by appearing and acting more worldly.

     There are others who wear the mask of faith.  These are individuals who live worldly lives Monday through Saturday.  Yet, on Sunday, they are willing to dress up a bit, put on a mask of faith and appear to be religiously minded on that one day.  When the day is over, the mask of faith is taken off and they return to their lives of worldliness.

     In either case, a person is acting hypocritically.  Interestingly, the Greek word translated as hypocrite in the New Testament means “an actor”.  In ancient society actors could play more than one role by taking off one mask and putting on another. 

     We don’t want to be actors.  We want to be genuine, sincere and consistent Christians who have put on Christ (Gal. 3:27) and are clothed with the robe of righteousness (Isa. 61:10). 

     So, let’s reserve masks for Halloween costumes.