062611
X-Men
Masks
Psalm 139
I brought something with me today. Now don’t get too scared when I put it on…
I had the opportunity to go with Max to the library this past week where he made this mask. The kids made all different kinds of masks-dogs, cats, and scary, like this one. And as they pretended to be different things, I couldn’t help think we do the same thing.
Day in and day out we wear different masks. The mask at work, the mask with friends, the mask with family, the mask when we play a sport-sometimes can be scary, the mask when we drive our car, maybe even a spiritual mask that we put on when we come to church or talk to God…even students have different masks. I actually remember in high school wearing several different masks.
And when we wear these different masks, sometimes we can lose sight of who we are. Sometimes we use the mask to cover pain and hurt. Sometimes we wear a mask to fit in because we think it’s easier or better to pretend we’re someone we’re not. We don’t like to stick out, we don’t like to be different.
In fact an entire industry has developed so that if we don’t like the way we look, we can literally put on a new mask. I’m not talking about plastic surgery that is necessary-like reconstructive, I’m talking about augmentation and vanity.
Nearly 12 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2007, with the five most common surgeries being breast augmentation, liposuction, nasal surgery, eyelid surgery and abdominoplasty. Cosmetic surgery is a $2.2 billion business.
One can even become addicted to cosmetic surgery. Body dysmorphic disorder describes a person obsessed with going under the knife in order to achieve physical perfection.
Some take out loans for this purpose; one woman spent over $83,000 for 14 surgeries.
Why? Because the world says you look old, that wrinkles are bad so you should inject poison into your face or get implants? When you step back doesn’t it seem insane?
But God didn’t create us to wear masks. God didn’t put you specifically on this earth to be someone or something else.
There’s an amazing passage of scripture that helps me when I begin to feel lost and desire to blend in with everyone else.
Psalm 139-let’s take a look, staring in v. 7. Feel free to go back and read the entire Psalm, it’s one of my favorites.
Psalm 139
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths,[a] you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
This lends itself to the belief that God is omnipresent. Omnipresent is a big church word for God is present everywhere. Did we really need a big word to say that? We know that. We know that God isn’t just here in this building. We can sense and feel God anywhere and everywhere. Because this is so, you can never be lost to God’s Spirit. This is good news to those who are lost, we can never be far from God’s comforting presence. When we are hiding behind the mask afraid to take it off, God is there to lean on.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
A lot of times we think we can go into the dark places or put those things hidden from everyone else deep within us. But as the Psalmist reminds us, there is no place too dark for God.
Here’s my favorite part…you may recognize this.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Inmost being-literally kidneys-Hebrew idion referring to an individual’s most intimate center of emotions and of moral sensitivity-that which God tests and examines when he searches a person.
God’s character goes into the creation of every person. When you feel worthless or even begin to hate yourself, remember that God’s Spirit is ready and willing to work within you. We should have as much respect for ourselves as our Maker has for us.
There’s a great series of movies the X-Men that has created quite a franchise for itself. There’s 3 movies and a couple of spin offs. The X-Men have been around in comic book form since 1963. Surely you are at least somewhat familiar with them? Basically, it’s a group of superheroes that have what is called the X-Gene which gives them their super characteristics. They are known as mutants, for their mutated genes. Most recently they released a pre-quel. Let’s watch a clip from it.
You’re amazing
Clip
Sometimes we can see ourselves as mutants-different and ugly. We hide our pain, our insecurities, our true selves.
But God sees us differently. Show off what God has given you. Take off your mask and be the person God created you to be. When you pretend to be someone else, the world misses out on the beauty of you. God’s creation is lacking. Don’t be afraid to be who you are-warts and all.
May you not be afraid to take off your mask and may you live as a person who knows they are fearfully and wonderfully made.
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