We live in a world full of hurting people. We pass by them daily. They are our neighbors, our family, our friends, at some point even ourselves. There are some who have been hurting for a long time, but they don’t feel love’s gentle touch and the healing that comes with it. We like to think that we would be better about helping those who are hurting, and we say that if we saw someone in pain we would do something. Yet, it’s like we are attending a masquerade. The masks go on and it’s hard to tell who’s who. It’s important to ask: What type of masks are in attendance?

1. Masks of shame

They don’t want you to know who they really are because they believe that the person under the mask has no worth. They hide behind their masks and disguise their true identity. They don’t feel worthy of anyone’s loving gaze. Maybe this insecurity was brought on by others, society as a whole or even themselves. It could be that they feel like something from the past looms over them. They’d rather hide all of who they are then risk exposing past regrets. It’s important to know the people behind this type of mask need healing just as any other person does. If they feel insecure or shameful of their past, they should know that they still have value and worth. Redemption is a beautiful thing in life. While the process can be messy and hard, I doubt anyone who’s been through it would say it wasn’t worth it.

2. Masks of pain

You might expect that you’d know if someone was hurting or not, but sometimes it’s harder to read the ones that are hurting the most. For them, it would be more painful to reveal how they are feeling, so they suppress their hurts and hide behind their mask hoping it is a strong enough barrier between others and how they are really feeling. They don’t realize that dropping their mask would be like dropping a huge weight off their shoulders. That their mask doesn’t take away the sting, but it does take away their freedom. We can help these people experience the peace that comes with overcoming the pains of yesterday.

3. Masks of fear

There are those who are scared as to what others would say about their pain. They hide behind their mask and rely on it to the point that if it slips down their face, they have a sense of panic. Maybe they also wear a mask of shame, but their fear consumes them more than anything. Their mask may be a result of trusting someone with their hurts only to be hurt by the person. They are afraid of getting hurt again, thus they hide their true self under a mask. In an effort to protect themselves, they end up keeping themselves from reaching a point of healing. Fear can be a powerful bondage, but so can love. Loving those behind masks of fear is the way to break apart their mask and provide them with a sense of security.

4. Masks of deception

These people actually show hurts that they do not have. They capitalize on the general kindness of humanity to provide them with the things they feel entitled to. They are part of the reason that people don't reach out more to the hurting because they are not sure if they are actually hurting or if they are lying. However, I believe these people need healing just the same. We all do.

We need to build up relationships with one another and build each other up. In a society focused on the individual, it's no wonder we have hurting people in masks. Let's make an effort to take off our masks and be real with one another. It's time to ask ourselves: Which mask do I have on?