Well, it’s Halloween. I’m looking forward to what I hope will be an entourage of silly, scary, and strange creatures showing up on our porch tonight saying the words, “Trick or treat.” In fact, John has worked diligently to fix the electrical connection and replace the porch lights at our house so that trick-or-treaters would know that they were welcome and would come to our home.

You see, for the past 12 1/2 years we lived behind a church, out in the country in Colorado. We knew a family with adorable little boys and basically, they were the only ones who ever trick-or-treated at our house. Now we live in a city and I’m looking forward to kids knocking on the door again.

I have great memories of our boys and their Halloween costumes: boxers, a pumpkin, an Indian, a hockey player, a fireman, a pirate, a spider, a puppy, a football player — all of them were hand made except for one year when Ben wanted to be Steve Irwin and we bought a costume. Of course, even it had the “mom” touch when Ben had me hot glue plastic spiders all over it.

Their costumes had one thing in common — they never wore masks. We always used make up to create a look.

I know that many Christians don’t celebrate Halloween, and we don’t decorate for it or do anything beyond giving out candy. I guess one of the reasons we allowed our children to dress up and to get candy was because it allowed us to see faces we wouldn’t normally see. K-Love radio shared a thought this morning on their Facebook page that actually explained what and why we celebrated Halloween, “Halloween shouldn’t be feared. It’s the one night the world comes to your door. What an opportunity to be the Light on a dark night!”

It is true that what man has meant for evil, God can use for good. He can redeem anything — and anyone.

Even when it isn’t Halloween, there are many in this world who hide behind masks. The masks are many and varied. Some wear masks of anger, greed, or hatred. Others show humility, kindness, or caring. But if they are masks rather than the true character of a person, they are still false — even if they are positive in appearance.

It concerns me that so many people choose to present a false front to the world around them. God has called us to let our light shine. How can we do that if we hide behind an attitude or a behavior that does not reflect Him. Even if the behavior seems positive, if it doesn’t come from the heart, if it doesn’t show who we are — inside, deep in the core of our being, it is a false front, a mask.

When God comes into our life, He starts at the core of our being and begins to change us into the person He knows we can be — the person He made us to be. He strips away the mask and the bitterness, pride, hurt, loss, false-security, and the “stuff” that keeps us from experiencing Him in a real and personal way. Then He starts to build and create and make us into a new person — a new being. When He works in our lives, the masks in our lives become unnecessary because finally, we are who God has made us to be. Even then, He continues to shape and mold and lead and guide. As we live our lives, we become more and more like Him.

I remember watching THE JETSONS as a kid. Do you remember that show? They had video telephones — and to think, we now have Skype and Face Time! In one episode, Jane, the mother received a phone call early in the morning and she pulled out a mask, put it on, and took the call. (Why on earth do I remember that?) The caller did not know that Jane had just cleaned house, or crawled out of bed, or had the measles, or whatever it was that she was hiding — all they saw was the perfect Jane — the face that she presented to the world.

It’s time for us to stop presenting masks; it’s time for God to shine through us — time for the world to see Him as He transforms us into His image.

My mom always told me that my life may be the only Bible that some people will ever read. It’s time to take off the mask and let Him, His love, and His light show in my life. How about you?