I wonder how many of you are wearing masks at the moment? I am. I never go inside a shop without my face mask and my gloves, both to protect others and myself. It surprises me how many people are so inconsiderate and simply don’t bother.

Normally, people wear masks not for health reasons but as a disguise, so that others cannot see who they are, or to look like someone else.

Many people also put on invisible masks, in order to hide their true feelings or character. Like actors on a stage they pretend to be somebody they’re not. Some do this because they are social climbers who want to impress others. They put on airs and graces, adopt a posh accent, and revel in name dropping. Such mask wearers are to be found in all walks of life. Others wear masks by putting on a stoical appearance to hide their inner vulnerability. Then there are the Jekyll and Hyde characters, who cunningly wear different masks to hide what they are truly like inside in order to hoodwink and deceive people for malicious purposes.

God never wears a mask and never changes. He is consistent in his love, care and compassion. Furthermore, he sees through the masks we wear, and we cannot hide from him what we are truly like inside.

“Humans look at outward appearances, but the Lord looks into the heart." – 1 Samuel 16.7.

This week’s thought: There’s nothing like a mask to reveal our true identity.