Wearing the mask of Motherhood. Proverbs 6:20-23 I now realize that most moms play the comparison game dozens of times every day. We constantly look to see how we measure up to those around us. And we don’t measure up. But how can we measure up? We compare ourselves to something that doesn’t exist. We compare our messy insides—our struggles, our failures, our less-than-perfect lives—to other women carefully cleaned-up, perfect-looking outsides. It’s a game that moms play that can never win. So if we insist on playing the comparison game and most of us do, then it’s time for a new measuring stick. Instead of comparing insides to outsides, we need to compare insides to insides. our true value is based on how God sees us, then it is easier for us to be honest with others because what they think about us or how they respond no longer defines us. Honesty begets honesty. The thing about masks is that they never bring us closer to who we were created to be. Masks always make shallow what God has intended to be deep. Friendships. Marriages. Families. Churches. Everything in our lives get cheated when we choose to be fake. Have you ever thought about the fact that you are cheating yourself by wearing a mask? Have you ever considered that fake smile is keeping you from the depth of relationships you’re really longing for I’d like to put “being fake” away for good in the journey of motherhood. Masks do not serve us well. They keep us at an arm’s length from our friends, our family, and our God. Not only that but wearing masks breeds judgment. It keeps us judging ourselves and others instead of living in and loving through grace.