How can I take off the mask and stop pretending?
Psalm 19:12-14How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 32:1-5Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
Transparency with others begins with transparency before God. Pray that he will reveal the masks you cannot see, and remove all the deceptive masks that he shows you.
Psalm 119:29Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.
James 4:8Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
As we study God’s Word, we must humbly embrace those moments when God’s truth gets behind our defenses and reveals what needs to change. Scripture shines a light on our self-deceit and helps us to live honestly and transparently.
Romans 12:9-10Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
2 Corinthians 1:12We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.
2 Corinthians 6:6We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.
Ephesians 4:21-23Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
James 3:17The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
1 Peter 1:22You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
1 Peter 2:1So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.
God’s wisdom can change our thoughts and attitudes, and then produce in us authentic, godly actions. Taking him at his word and applying his truth to our lives will lead to less masking and hypocrisy. The closer we are to God, the farther we will be from deceit.
Psalm 26:4I do not spend time with liars or go along with hypocrites.
Psalm 120:2Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people.
Luke 12:1Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy.”
Watch the company you keep. Deceitful friends will lead you into deeper deceit. And if you can’t be honest about your faith before your friends, you aren’t doing them any favors.
Romans 12:3Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
Be honest with yourself! Ask honest friends to give you a realistic estimate of your life and actions. Good friends can often spot our deceptions before we are aware of them.
Isaiah 53:9He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.
1 Peter 2:21-22God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.
Follow Jesus’ example. There was no hypocrisy, deceit, or pretense in him. If you have been rejected, make sure people are rejecting the real you, not a fake.
