Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

              We Wear the Mask

    WE wear the mask that grins and lies,
    It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
    This debt we pay to human guile;
    With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
    And mouth with myriad subtleties.

    Why should the world be over-wise,
    In counting all our tears and sighs?
    Nay, let them only see us, while
            We wear the mask.

    We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
    To thee from tortured souls arise.
    We sing, but oh the clay is vile
    Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
    But let the world dream otherwise,
            We wear the mask!

 As we enter into the season of fall, with our masks and carved pumpkins, let us reflect on the masks that we wear and remember that God can see what lies behind the mask.  We can hide nothing from our Lord.  Thanks be to God for loving and accepting us “just as we are.” 

We are constantly bombarded with others wanting us to "understand" one thing or another, but that sort of begs the question, doesn't it? We are still left with the fundamental question, "what does it mean to understand something?" Teachers almost universally seek to have their students learn and understand the subject matter they are teaching.

As we study the scriptures, meditate on the Word, and pray, we begin to “understand” what our faith is all about.  But, what does it mean to understand faith?  If someone says he or she understands what faith is, then he or she should be able to explain it to others.  Faith, simply stated, is believing in God.

Jesus was a great teacher and spent much of his ministry trying to teach the disciples and others the great message about faith and salvation.  Do you really understand it?  Ask yourself this question: what does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ?   Can you explain it to someone else?

Many of the greatest achievements begin with the empowering words of encouragement. When someone is feeling insecure, unsure, or apprehensive about taking constructive action or pursuing favorable opportunities, you should convey to them that you believe that they are capable and that their efforts are worthwhile.

1.    Recognize the person's struggle.

2.    Be positive.

3.    Be sincere.

4.    Inspire a healthy outlook.

The important thing is to do it!!!