Stain Glass Masquerade..Tuesday

2/17/14

My father sent me a picture with a quote on it that has a lot of truth. The picture shows a Native American man and the quote is this….

“The tragedy of life is not death 

but what we let die inside of us 

while we live.”

There is so much truth in these words. I think about all the people with special talents and skills who do nothing with these gifts given to them by God. Perhaps they have what seems to be a good reason for not utilizing these gifts. Maybe they can sing like angels but are too shy to do so in front of other people. Maybe they have the gift of healing but lack enough faith.

When I think about this quote even more, it reminds me about all the people who walk around with fake smiles even though they are slowly dying inside. When asked how we are doing, typically our response is a quick…”okay”. It doesn’t matter if we are having a bad day or if something is weighing heavily on our minds….we smile and pretend things are just fine. I have seen this happen a lot in church. People show up on Sunday morning with their perfect painted faces, smiling, and believing that if they show what is really going on people may see them as weak, not having enough faith, or perhaps not having a strong enough prayer life. Have you ever watched someone smile and pretend everything is okay, but felt like maybe something was wrong? I think one of the greatest gifts God gives us is discernment. However, so often discernment becomes one of those gifts we allow to wither up and die inside of us while we still live. Perhaps we are afraid that we could be wrong. So, we play the game and pretend that we believe everything is okay with our brother and sister, even though deep down inside we sense that is far from the truth. Have you ever been in line at a grocery store and could just sense that the person in front of you was having a bad day? It isn’t something they said or did, you can just feel it in your spirit man. Suddenly, the cashier says hello and there it is, that fake, plastic smile that tries to hide the truth. What would Jesus do at that moment?

Today is a two part challenge…..

The next time you are not okay, tell someone, ask for prayer and don’t put on that happy, plastic smile when you really feel like screaming inside. Don’t let the enemy convince you that letting others know you are struggling means that you are weak, lack faith, or don’t pray enough. Don’t be among the walking dead. Let God breathe new life into you and let others help lift you up.

If you get the feeling that someone is not okay, even though he or she puts on a smile, reach out to them. Offer to pray with that person. You don’t have to reveal that you know something is wrong. Just ask if you can pray that God meets whatever need he or she might have at the time. Ask for an extra touch from the Holy Spirit. We can all use prayer even when things ARE going okay! A gentle touch on the shoulder can speak volumes. Also, being real with a person about your own struggles, however small they might seem, lets a person who is struggling know that he or she is not alone. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reads, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Written by

S.G.H.

The song for today is "Stained Glass Masquerade" sung by Casting Crowns

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Stained Glass Masquerade

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small