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 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?

So, as I wondered as I wandered through God’s Word, this is some of what he chose to tell me: In the Book of Ephesians, Paul does show us who we are, with or without our masks. In chapter one, verse three, we find out that “we are blessed:” in verse four “we are chosen;” verse five tells us “We are adopted;” in verse seven “because of His love we are redeemed;” and in verse 13 “we are forgiven….and are sealed.”

My identity as God’s child means that his power is at work in me with every step and breath I take (even when a mask was on!). I’m not only what the world perceives me to be, but also much more. I was chosen before the foundation of the world, loved and saved by God, by his Son’s death on the cross.

According to 1 Peter 1:3: “we are born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” We have been ransomed with the precious blood of Christ! We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood called out of the darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

During the season of masks, my husband would periodically remove his and say “Hey! It’s me, Sal!” He would smile and then pull his mask back over his face. He did it to remind friends and family that he was still the same person. And that brings me back to Chris Fabry’s book Overcomer where the heroine says: “At some point, you will have to answer that question – who are you really?”

I used to struggle with that. There were, and have been, times when I felt like I was a mistake and had no place in this world. There have been times when I have felt unloved and unwanted.

The mixed messages the world sent me left me searching for something, but I didn’t know what. But when I met the one true God who created me, I found me—God’s creation. My identity didn’t come from what the culture says I am or I am supposed to be, or even at how I feel at any given moment. The Creator is the one who gets to define his creation.

Even though I will always have good days and bad days and will still have struggles, I will always know that the One who loves me and died for me is with me. As Chris Fabray says in Overcomer: “He overcame everything for me. Sin, suffering, and death. So, I walk with Him every day. I trust Him every day, no matter what. And since my identity is found in Him, I know exactly who I am,” and that is with or without a mask.

But as we now may leave the masks, a few things we should keep in mind: Don’t forget to brush the food that gets stuck between your teeth because everyone will see it now; do remember to smile; and remember ladies, how refreshing it was to go over a year without make up.

We were blessed in a myriad of ways during COVID-19 even when we were lonely and afraid, and maybe we will see a huge revival and a return to Jesus, and we can always be in constant thanksgiving for how God was with us, is with us and will be with us.