Advantages of Life Without Mask
(Reflection from Nehemiah 2:1-9)
“Reflection On Integrity Living”
There are so many people who live every day wearing masks. From the outside they looks fine, but it turns out that the inside is very fragile and unhealty emotionially.
Is this a good way of life? I personally don't think so.
Of course everyone may have their own reasons for hiding their true faces. Whether it's because of fear, or because they intend to manipulate other people, or just because they are afraid of being embarrassed. However, I do not find a single verse in the Bible that supports us to live wearing masks.
But in the Bible, there is an example of someone who seems "too brave" to live without a mask. Dare to answer honestly a simple question, "What's up?". Dare to answer when someone ask, "What do you need?"
However, these are some principles of life that are very important so that we can benefit from life without a mask.
# Share with The Right People
Of course, a life without a mask, living with honesty, does not mean that we become people who want to "tell our story" with everybody, or share with anyone who asks us.
When we carelessly tell someone, there is a chance that we gone horribly wrong if we listen to the advice of the wrong person. Or the outpouring of our hearts will only become the next material for gossip, and instead of reducing our problems, they even add our problems much more.
We need to share with the right people, in terms of people who can help us either in the form of direct solutions, or just encouraging and praying.
Nehemiah was very aware of this.
From Nehemiah 1:11, “this man” had been in Nehemiah's thoughts and prayers. He knew with certainty that it was through "this person" that what he hoped can be achieve, which is King Artaxerxes.
# Constantly Praying
We can also worry that the people who are ABLE to help us DO NOT WANT to help us.
This is an important reason why we must keep praying. Because we believe that God can soften the hearts of those who are ABLE to help us, so they WANT to help us.
Prayer also makes us remember that God is the one who we really rely on, and not in humans. Even if the person we hope for does not help, we believe that God can always move other people who we never expect.
Nehemiah continued to pray, even when he felt (v. 4) God's help had come and God had softened the heart of King Artaxerxes.
# Just Pray Is Still NOT ENOUGH
If we keep a cheerful face all the time in front of people, if we don't want to answer the simple question, “How are you? What is wrong?" with honestly; then all our prayers could be in vain.
When we are under stress, we really need prayer. We may also need to cry deeply. There is a saying that "tears can clear the soul".
After we have gained new strength through prayer (and perhaps even crying), it is very important to plan what our steps are going to be.
What do we need?
What are we supposed to do?
Making plans is a step of faith that what we pray for will be granted by God.
Nehemiah planned in great detail, such as: length of trip, what to do, what to take (vv. 7-10).
# Stay Humble
I was so struck by Nehemiah's statement (v. 8): "So the king granted my me these request, for the good hand of my God was on me."
Success can be so exhilarating to the point that it blinds us. It tends to make us forget because of who we succeeded. It makes us forget that we don't pump our own hearts every morning in order to live the day.
These are the advantage of living without a mask.
We can be helped. We don't have to manipulate other people to get what we want. We shouldn't be embarrassed to ask for help.
Because the facts is:
There are so many promises of help from God, promises of blessings, promises of God's care for us. But not everything will come to us directly from God's hands!
Most of them will be sent by God through intermediary hands, namely our neighbors.
Read also : The Next Steps
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