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Hiding Behind the Mask
Scooby Doo is a popular cartoon that first appeared in the 1960s. Even though it has been through several iterations over the years, each episode follows the same formula. There is a villain doing a crime. Scooby and the mystery gang set up a plan and capture the villain. Then the villain’s identity is revealed. Regardless of the make-up applied, the mask worn, or the disguise donned, the true identity is always revealed. They cannot stay hidden as their crime always catches up to them.
Am I wearing a mask? Am I one person on Sundays and someone different the rest of the week. I cannot live for Christ one day and then for myself the rest.
It can be easy to put on a facade. We can please a lot of people by having one foot for Christ and one for the world. We can avoid a lot of tough conversations. If we are not truly following Christ, we are ultimately just deceiving ourselves. All will be revealed and brought into light. God will not be fooled. The mask will be ripped off and our true allegiance and identity will be revealed. We will not be able to hide.
We will not be able to hide from our words. In Matthew 12:36, Jesus said “but I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” We may be able to speak encouraging words most of the time, but all will be accounted for.
We will not be able to hide from our actions. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus taught that the righteous fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, invited strangers in, clothed the naked, and visited the sick and those in prison. The accursed did nothing. We may be able to look good on a Sunday, but did we ever help a brother in need?
We will not be able to hide from our fruit. In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus spoke about good trees bearing good fruit and bad trees bearing bad fruit. He said “you will know them by their fruits.” The fruit eventually reveals the character. Nothing will be hidden on the day of judgment.
Following this section is one of the most terrifying passages. Jesus said “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:21-23). Only those who are doing the will of the Father will enter. God will see under the mask. He will know who was truly following His will and who was not. The true identity of all will be revealed; nothing will be hidden.
Strive to do the will of the Father not just one day of the week, but throughout our lives. His will and desire should permeate our lives. It should affect our words, actions, and fruit. We must do the will of the Father. Anything else and we are simply deceiving ourselves. But we will not deceive God.
