Settle in

Take a deep breath. Turn off notifications on your phone if you can. Ask God to help you take off your masks and be yourself with him.

Scripture reflection:

Read 1 Samuel 16:7  slowly. Then read it again:

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Eliab is tall and handsome, but don’t judge by things like that. God doesn’t look at what people see. People judge by what is on the outside, but the LORD looks at the heart. Eliab is not the right man.”

1 Samuel 16:7 ERV

God wants our hearts. Real faith doesn’t use filters.

The masks we wear

During that time a crowd of many thousands had gathered. There were so many people that they were stepping on one another. Jesus spoke first to his disciples. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees,” he said. “They just pretend to be godly.”

Luke 12:1 NIrV

So many thousands of people had gathered that they were stepping on each other. Jesus spoke first to his followers, saying, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, because they are hypocrites.”

Luke 12:1 NCV

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs-beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.”

Matthew 23:27 NLT

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!”

Matthew 23:25 NLT

He replied, “Isaiah was right. He prophesied about you people who pretend to be good. He said, “ ‘These people honor me by what they say. But their hearts are far away from me.’”

Mark 7:6 NIrV

Truth bomb:

Real faith isn’t about the show—it’s about the soul.

• Jesus didn’t hold back when he called out religious leaders for putting on a spiritual performance while hiding the truth inside.
• The pressure to look good or “have it all together” is real, but Jesus consistently valued authenticity over appearance. 
• He exposed the gap between public performance and private honesty, showing that God cares more about the heart behind the actions than the actions themselves.

Sometimes we hide behind invisible masks to protect ourselves or impress others. Here are a few we might wear:

• The mask of perfection – “I’ve got it all together.”
• The mask of strength – “I’m fine.”
• The mask of religion – “I know all the right things to say.”
• The mask of humor – “If I’m laughing, you won’t ask what’s wrong.”
• The mask of control – “I’ll handle it myself.”
• The mask of popularity – “As long as they like me…”
• The mask of comparison – “I’m not as good as they are.”
• The mask of silence – “If I don’t speak, I won’t be judged.”

What “mask-off faith” really means

Everything that is hidden will be shown, and everything that is secret will be made known.

Luke 12:2 NCV

“Mask-off faith” is about letting God into the places we usually cover up. It means:

• No pretending. You stop performing and start being real about your doubts, struggles, and flaws.
• No spiritual filters. You don’t just quote verses—you try to live them, even when it’s messy.
• No fear of judgment. You trust that God sees the real you and still chooses you.
• No comparison game. You’re not trying to match someone else’s highlight reel—you’re walking your own journey with God.
• No hiding behind religion. You move from ritual/behavior to relationship.

Try it!

No filters. Just faith.
Drop the act and talk to God.

• What’s one mask you’re ready to take off?
• Today, pray without pretending. Tell God one thing you’ve been hiding—and ask him to meet you there with grace.

Quick recap

Jesus cares more about your authenticity than your appearance. You don’t have to fake it with God. He already sees the real you, and he still loves you. So today, drop the act, take off the mask, and be honest with yourself and with God.

Humor break!

Why was the equal sign so humble? Because it wasn’t greater than or less than anyone else.

Bring the inspiration with you

Save this phone wallpaper to remind you to be authentic today!