LIFE LESSONS
The Great Unmasking Pat Cirrincione
The Great Unmasking sounds more like a title of a science fiction novel than the reopening of life post-pandemic. Looking back on this year-plus of isolation, drive by celebrations, strange holiday gatherings, what does it all mean? I wish I had the answers, but I don’t. It has been a long and winding road for all of us, and one that had me praying for the Lord’s return as a part of my daily prayers. For an introvert like me, it was a time of quiet solitude and being able to accomplish the “picture” project, clearing out my file cabinets (still a work in progress), putting my books and CDs in alphabetical order by author’s last name, and clearing out stuff to donate to the STARS and Twice is Nice resale shops. (I turned into a Monica—a cultural reference for those of you who watch “Friends.”) It was also a year of reading a lot of books! In case you are wondering, one of my favorite books was Overcomer by Chris Fabry. In this amazing story one of the main characters asks another character this question: “If I asked you who are, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?” Have you ever asked yourself this same question? Who are you? Who am I? Who does the world say that we are? Who does God say that we are? In a world recently inundated with mask coverings we have been able to hide who we are, as our facial expressions haven’t been readily visible to those around us. I’m sure we all have some answers to who we are. My ready answer: I’m a woman, wife, Nana, friend, cook, housekeeper, artist, writer, co-worker, dancer, musician, a follower of Christ, an aunt, cousin, niece, granddaughter, daughter, sister, etc., etc. These nouns are how the world sees who I am, but who am I really? In a Bible study I’ve been in this year, one of the teaching leaders said this: “Are you a person that brings good out of evil? Can you see the light that comes out of the darkness? How has God used difficult situations in your life for a purpose? What keeps you from trusting that he is using every event to accomplish his purposes? Do we stereotype people of certain positions and cultures? What people group are you currently stereotyping? How are you leaning on God to help you overcome your prejudice toward people who take a
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different political stance than you, or who come from a different denomination, or a different race? Is there a broken relationship that you can reconcile and renew? As Christians we are the most forgiven people on the earth, we therefore should be the most forgiving people. By showing people forgiveness you are showing them Jesus, and a glimpse of what he has to offer them. Have you asked God for his help and blessing?” So, who are you? In Genesis God describes himself to Jacob four times: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac…”; “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me…”; “I am God Almighty…”; and “I am God, the God of your father…” (The Life Application Study Bible, New King James Version). Chapters one through eleven in Genesis describe who God is to us: our creator, friend, ruler, someone who is constant and relational, good and wise, trustworthy, and faithful. If God repeatedly tells us who he is in the Bible, then maybe who I am is also in his Word. If my identity is now tied to God, why have I let all those other nouns define me? If my identity is in the One who created me, and changed my whole perspective about life, why aren’t I making my identity with him my priority? When am I going to take my mask off, and show people the new person that God made in Christ?
