Is life just a moment when we pass through time – when our hopes and dreams lead to amazing adventures or fall by the wayside and get trampled deep into the ground? Are we placed here for a purpose, as the Bible tells us, or are we merely puppets acting out a drama upon a massive stage? Unfortunately, there are many who feel that their existence isn’t important. They go through life believing that they’re just a speck in the scheme of things – that anything they have to contribute is meaningless. They seek ways to numb this feeling of worthlessness. They may hide in self-pity. They might don a mask in hopes of taking on a new persona or bask in the glow of others. Often, they give up.

I’ve spent most of my life as a performer. When I was three years old, my mother enrolled me in dance classes. I could step, shuffle, ball and change like crazy. I learned how to twirl a baton. I imitated funny faces. I seemed destined to entertain others. As years progressed, I found the stage to be a great place to escape for a while. My high school and college years were dedicated to acting and using a mask to hide what was really going on in my head. That passion led to a career in teaching all ages how to become another character. Up until last year, I found myself still getting on stage to become someone else.

As we grow older, our goals and dreams change. Our physical bodies become ridden with age, and we have to place limitations on ourselves. We must get a glimpse of what others are going through. Selflessness is the best way to get rid of selfishness – and that’s exactly what a low self-image amounts to. Some of the best actors are those who are not very sure of themselves. Some of them are very skilled at hiding their true identity behind a mask. When it comes to God, there is no hiding. Everything is out in the open with Him and He loves us anyway. God’s vision of us no longer sees a wretched sinner. He sees the face of His only Son, who has taken away all the ugliness of that mask of sin.

I thank Jesus for another day of life, but I also look forward to the best stage yet to come.