Marilyn Wore A Mask

    Marilyn Monroe died 25 years ago on Aug. 5, 1962 at the age of 36,
a lonely and heart-sick woman.  Many hailed her as being dynamic and
vivacious but after having achieved fame and money, there was still
something lacking in her life.  This lack drove her to use drugs and
eventually caused her untimely death.  A death that came too early
because she did not know that the void in her soul could only be
filled by God.

    Born as Norma Jean Mortenson, she lived through a troubled
childhood and and insecure marriages to die alone because of a drug
overdose.  In recent ceremonies of her death, she was hailed as being
"a legend assured of immortality."  Unfortunately, her only
immortality will be among late night movie buffs.

    Marilyn was admired by everyone as vivacious and warm but she was
really wearing a mask so others couldn't see her troubled heart.  She
was no different than so many today.  Lonely and desperate and not
able to cope with life and what eternity holds.  They too wear
different kinds of masks, giving the image on the outside that all is
well, but filled with pain on the in.

    Many criticize the excessive make-up worn by Tammie Fay Bakker but
here too is only a mask.  She didn't wear the mounds of make-up until
after her time of family trials with Jim.  It is not to make her
beautiful as she presumes, but is only a mask for insecurities.  Men
also hide themselves by wearing unusual styles of clothes or long
hair, etc. All masks.

    Pastor Church Smith of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California in
the early 60's exposed the masks of many young people who were written
off by others as just a bunch of dirty hippies.  Many churches would
not even allow them inside because they appeared to be no good.  He
and his wife used to park their car at the beach where many gathered
and pray for them that God would fill their hearts and give them new
life through Jesus.  They prayed because they realized that the
flowers and wild clothes and drugs were just masks.  They prayed
because they knew that they needed to know Jesus.  Their little church
of 25 people is now over 14,000 and has seen over 400 other churches
start up by the same long haired hippie kids that they had prayed for.

    Romans chapter 1 tells us that everyone knows that God is because
his "invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead so that we
are without excuse."  Even so, as believers we are to pray for
everyone around us in spite of their masks.  Inside they need what we
have found.  By our lives they may know that we are different, but how
can they understand it if we can't explain it to them.  A mask can
come off.


Frank Cooke