How to take off your mask to show your smile
The signs outside the stores nowadays say we need to wear masks to enter because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people have been rebelling against wearing a mask, but I’m not so sure I want to risk it. What about you? While some masks may be helpful, others can be more harmful than helpful. Because some of us do not feel accepted just for who we are, we wear a ‘mask’ pretending to be someone we are not. Do you feel like life could be so much easier if people noticed the hidden qualities and beauty that we have?
Do you realize that each of us was uniquely created? We possess something we can contribute to the world, making it a better place in which to dwell? So why do we, sometimes, fake it and act out of character of our “real” selves? Could the answer be that we want to fit in, or seek to earn the approval of others?
Do you realize that each person’s fingerprints are unlike those of any other person in the world? Could that uniqueness indicate that each of us was created to be different, and that we should appreciate our distinctiveness? Rather, do we sometimes find ourselves attempting to keep up with the latest fad, style, or practice whether good or bad that tempts us to change our behavior merely to impress others, or to enjoy their acceptance.
I wonder how many of us say and do things just to be accepted. How much do we exploit ourselves in a negative way in order to feel loved or to gain a sense of belonging? Do we compromise our morals and standards just to fit in? If such is the case, serious self-assessment is suggested. We might not have given sufficient thought to our identity. Let’s consider allowing our lives to exhibit true positive values. By so doing, we will become less inclined to yield to circumstances which fail to align with our true convictions and personalities.
Perhaps there are times when you ask yourself, ‘Just who am I? Why don’t I fit in? What can I do to feel better about myself?’ You may even turn to changing your body through tattooing, or piercing. You be the judge. To what extent are you willing to modify your body image so that you will feel better about yourself and fit in?
Psalm 139:14 says, … “I praise you [God] because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your [God’s] works are wonderful, I know that full well.” God didn’t make a mistake when He created you with your uniqueness, your ability to think for yourself, your ability to decide how to live your life and simply to be who you are called to be by Him, your Heavenly Father, not trying to be like someone else.
It is important that you appreciate yourself as a beautiful woman who was designed and created by God. Remember that you need not compromise yourself or your values in order to have the acceptance of others. Be who you are. You are, indeed, fearfully and wonderfully made! You are God’s masterpiece.
