Sooner or later most of us will encounter a Christian who is wearing a mask. We find out the pious Christian we thought we knew isn’t the Christ-centered person they appeared to be. It seems to happen all too often on the national news and, sadly, in our local church.

The reality is that most people wear some sort of mask. We’re scared that without a facade, people will see our inadequacies. We’re scared that people won’t like us if they really knew us.

But, the apostle Paul reminded us in 2 Corinthians that “whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away…and we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory.”

Paul’s message is that we can take off our masks, when we truly accept Christ into our hearts. Not only will we experience freedom, but Paul promises we will grow steadily in the image of Christ.

Let’s face it – living a life of pretense is exhausting. We can avoid the burnout and live victoriously when we stop pretending. So, stop pretending and turn to Christ for your security. Then, you’ll be ready to tell others of the glorious freedom you found in Christ.

I have a dear friend who recently, for the first time, led a person to Christ. He’s a committed Christian and a fearless businessman, yet he had never experienced one of the greatest joys of a Christian life – sharing the Good News of eternal salvation and God’s love.

The majority of Christians never share their faith with others. A lot of people feel incompetent and nervous. We all can be nervous at times, but that doesn’t mean that we should not share our faith. We can have confidence to speak out because of Jesus Christ!

The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians that “confidence is ours through Christ…not that we are competent to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” God, through Christ, qualifies each of us to be personal evangelists.

Have you hesitated to share your faith because you’re nervous or feel inadequate? My friend was able to share one of the greatest joys this side of heaven when he stopped depending on his own abilities, asked for strength from the Lord, and turned to the competence that comes only from God. Try it today.

You know, many times people feel they cannot share the Good News because they haven’t been believers very long. But, one of the best ways to learn more is by sharing. The more you share, the more you will grow. Shortly before Jesus went back to Heaven he told his disciples to go and make disciples of all the nations. He also comforted them saying, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Do not be held back by your lack of experience- the Lord is with you always. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians, “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

God has different standards than this world- and your humility is something that God can work with. A theology degree doesn’t necessarily equip you to be effective for the Lord… though education is important, but without an attitude of humility and love for other people, all the education in the world is useless. God looks at the heart first.

So, don’t be held back by being new to the faith or by feelings of inadequacy. Depend on God and His Holy Word when you’re sharing the Good News, and the Lord will be with you every step of the way.

When I first began to follow Jesus, at 12 years old, I would often pray that God would open doors for me to reach the whole world with the Good News. Since I was new in my faith, and still a boy, I had a lot of learning and growing to do. I felt that a wonderful place to start was studying the Bible, and getting to know it well. And so even as a boy I found myself pouring over the Bible.

Some people wonder if the Bible is a divinely inspired book, or simply a work of literature that men wrote. The Bible is written by men, yes, but these men were under the direct inspiration of God. St. Peter writes, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

Reading God’s Word, meditating on it, and studying it, are great ways to become effective in sharing the Good News with others. After all, the Good News is found in scripture. What better way to reach the lost then to share with them what God has said in His Word.

So try it this week, won’t you? Set aside time in your day to read the Bible. You will find, in time, that sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ is easier when you have the power of God’s Word on your mind and in your heart.