What we present to others is not always the truest part of who we are. And perhaps this is even with the best of intentions and no malice in our hearts. Though, for others, this is done deceptively. Either way, there’s value in pulling back the curtain to reveal more of our true selves.
In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and her companions were rightly disappointed to find that the wizard was not as he presented himself. And while he did not deny being a bad wizard, he suggested he was indeed a good man. He demonstrated this by offering each of the traveling companions fatherly insights and affirmations.
Behind the curtain was not a bad man, but rather a good man playing the inflated role he thought others expected of him. And this is often the case with us as well. We lose ourselves by trying to satisfy the needs of others – pride leading us to adopt a persona that hides our true selves to meet their expectations. While we might not intend to become the ultimate ‘savior’ or ‘hero’, we can still fall into the trap of pretending to be someone we’re not.
To be sure, it’s disruptive to expose what’s been hiding behind the curtain. But it’s also freeing. In fact, this is our only way to offer a genuine blessing to others.
As such, although it’s natural for people to want to keep certain things hidden, we should be wary of those who actively maintain a facade while insisting we ignore the man behind the curtain. A good man once exposed is grateful. An evil man refuses any attempts at exposure and seeks to maintain his masquerade at all cost.
In the end, a good man no longer needs to hide behind the curtain. His goodness speaks for itself and he does not have to pretend to be something he’s not.
