The Face God Sees
“The man asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Jacob,’ he answered. Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.’”
Genesis 32:27–28
The last time I actively intended to be someone else, I was in high school. I got caught skipping and told the officer my name was “Alberto Rodriguez.” That alias lasted about five minutes before I was caught in the lie and had to come clean.
But there are other times I’ve passively slipped into being someone else. Like when I first started doing music under the name “Willyton.” That persona wasn’t even mine—it was just a mashup of every reggaeton artist I listened to and every reckless movie character I idolized. A mask to hide my true face.
And then, without even realizing it, I built another mask—this time inside religion. A “Christian persona.” I remember in my first year of following Jesus, my brother told me: “You looked happier when you weren’t following Jesus. You always look miserable now, and I don’t want to follow a Jesus that dries you up.” Looking back, I don’t even blame him. I had constructed my own Christ, which was just a compilation of other people’s views and thoughts. I even lied once about no longer struggling with lust, so that I wouldn’t “give a bad witness,” or diminish God’s power! That’s crazy to think about now, but that’s what masks do.
We don’t start out hiding by accident. At first, it’s an active intention—like giving a fake name. Then it slips into passive intention—like performing as an artist. And before long, it becomes unintentional—a religious persona we don’t even notice we’re wearing. We get comfortable in the habitat we move in, and the habits become second nature.
Jacob’s Mask
Jacob knew what it was to wear a persona. He put on Esau’s clothes, covered his arms in goat hair, and even changed his voice to steal his brother’s blessing. He got what he wanted in the moment—but it came with years of running, conflict, and hiding.
Because here’s the truth: Jacob got words spoken over him while pretending to be Esau, but the real blessing only came when he came clean before God. You can fake your way into approval, but you can’t fake your way into transformation.
That’s why, at the river, God asked him for his name. Not Esau’s. Not an alias. His true one. And when Jacob finally admitted it, God gave him a new name—and a new identity.
There’s a Japanese proverb that says:
The first face you show the world.
The second face you show to your close friends and family.
The third face you never show anyone. That face is your truest self.
But here’s the truth: God can’t bless the mask. He can only bless the real you. That’s why in the wrestling match, He asked Jacob for his name. Not Esau’s. Not a fake alias. His real one. And the blessing came only when Jacob came clean.
Lyrics:
“I’m calling you back
From this persona you made for yourself,
How’d you expect a blessing trying to be somebody else?”
Takeaway:
The faces we wear might protect us, but they can never bless us.
God’s blessing only meets the real you.
Reflection Question:
Which face have I been living from—and what would it look like to let God meet me in my truest one?
Prayer:
Lord, strip away the faces I wear to hide, impress, or perform. I don’t want to live behind a mask anymore. Meet me in my true self—the one You created, the one You bless, the one You love.
In Jesus’ name, amén.
