The second means I would like to highlight to transform my social life is to lose the mask. I need to present myself to you as authentically as possible.
As a result of so much attack and withdrawal in my life, I may set up huge walls against being vulnerable to these actions against me. I may put on “masks” to hide who I truly am in order to not provide opportunities to be hurt by you.
I may also wear masks in order to look better and achieve recognition and reward for being someone I am not. This is especially tempting in a church community. I have one mask for my Christian friends and then when I live my day-to-day life I am someone completely different. Classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (as seen in Van Helsing, above).
A third mask I may wear is to be influenced by Jesus, but I don’t want to appear too sold out to him and so I try to hide my love for him. I know this seems strange, but I have seen Christians (including in a mirror) who show signs of real growth in their faith who try to look like someone else at school or at work.
All masks must go. This doesn’t mean that I become a dynamo of “telling it like it is.” No “brutal honesty” and such. No baring the effects of my childhood to the guy sitting next to me at McDonalds. This does mean I need to be real with people around me. Who I am in private is who I am in public. I give up using deceit, manipulation and defensiveness in my relationships. My identity comes from God and he makes it possible for me to face the world unmasked at my best, true self.
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