Behind the Mask

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays, mostly because it was one week removed from my birthday, but also because of what I could get away with for one night. I was a mischievous kid, not at the surface level, if you met me at a church function or you were parents hosting a sleep over, you thought I was an angel, a model child. Reality is, I was the youngest of three boys and the mastermind of most of the mayhem that nagged our neighborhood. Halloween allowed a chance to employ the cover of dark, disguise of a costume, and the cover of crowds to engage in some of my misdeeds more directly.

It is rather incredible what deeds will be performed when there is an element of anonymity. I assume that is why adults through the centuries have employed masquerade parties as an opportunity to invite courage and confidence or concupiscence that they wouldn’t normally engage in.

This social behavior demonstrates a genuine truth about the nature of human action-our behavior is rooted and grounded in our identity, or at least our perception of our identity. Whatever we think about who we are, or how people see us, heavily influences how we will behave. We start adopting behaviors of the persona we have taken rather than allowing our genuine intentions to reign.

So often, we become trapped in whatever identity we have adopted that we feel as if we can’t ever make any changes without jeopardizing the relationships with those around us.

This is precisely why Jesus came to the Earth, to live as a man, and to die on the cross-that if we would trust in him and the power of his resurrection, he would give us a new identity! He knows that Satan has gripped countless in sin by locking them in an identity and pattern of life that prevents them from making Christ their primary focus. Paul implores believers not to be deceived but to look to Christ:

“Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?” Galatians 3:1

Having seen Jesus in faith he tells us that we can “put on Christ” as we are “baptized into Christ” (Gal. 3:27). When we will clothe ourselves in Christ, we can break free from the limitations of our former identities and move forward in the freedom of Christ. Will you be free and place your trust in Jesus first, or will you continue to be trapped by your identity in something other than him?

I Love You,

Jonathan

Jonathan Long

Church of Christ