Masquerade!
Paper faces on parade!
Masquerade!
Hide your face so the world will never find you!
Masquerade!
Every face a different shade!
Look around, there's another one behind you!
Christians are all too scared to reveal their identity as a child of God. They often wear a mask when not in a Christian setting, like school or work. Too many 'paper faces' are on parade and not enough of them are spreading God's Word to the lost.
Everyone wears his or her mask differently. Maybe they cuss or are perverse. These 'shades' are everywhere, so much that there may be another 'mask wearer' right behind you.
Maybe you don't wear a secular mask at school. Maybe you wear a Christian mask at church. You may be out in the world at fifteen drinking or worse. But, when you are at church, you wear a mask that says you are a Christian. You may have only come because a loved one or a friend asked you.
Masquerade!
Grinning yellows, spinning reds!
Masquerade!
Take your fill; let the spectacle astound you!
Masquerade!
Burning glances, turning heads!
Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!
Those grinning yellows and spinning reds are all too common. There is such a guilt that comes when you struggle with wearing a mask, and you are not willing to reach out to the lost because it might hurt your reputation. It burns. I know that feeling. I know it all too well. I'm sure that some of those reading this very story know it too. God said in the Bible that if we were embarrassed to know him, he would feel the same way about us. We must stand strong, and tell the lost of Jesus' love.
There are also those who just sit back and watch. They do nothing to bring lost people to Christ. They even laugh and insult those who are spreading the Word. They shun those few true Christians. Those who deserve the most reward receive the least. In Heaven, they will be rewarded. They will receive great wealth. They deserve so much here though. Us, as Christians, need to reach out to them. We need to encourage them, and to help them re-ignite their 'Jesus energy'.
Burning glances, turning heads. Stop to stare at the sea of smiles around you. At the reacher's point of view, all of these glances are pointed directly at them. They burn through you, and you wonder whether you should quit. Maybe then you'll be able to hang out with that guy over there. He's got lots of friends. But, at that moment, you don't realize that he is an avid cusser, he smokes marijuana, and he's had sexual intercourse four times. He's only fourteen. If you get in with his group, you'll be cussin' up a storm, smokin' fifteen joints a day, and having sex every other night. What will God think of that? What if you get HIV? What will your parents think?
Why so silent, good monsieurs?
Did you think that I had left you for good?
Have you missed me, good monsieurs?
Why are we so silent when given a perfect opportunity to reach out to a lost person? We are afraid that those burning glances will find us. So, we wear our paper face, and we pretend like God is nothing. We parade around like we have no association with the One who wants so badly to be associated with everyone. However, we have to carry that message, carry the torch, to all that need their candle lit. He gives us flint and steel. We must start the fire. Remember to show your face at the masquerade ball.
Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera or the Bible
