Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast, I’m Nick and it’s an honor to be here with you today.
Today is August 16.
Each day, we follow a simple rhythm: Slow Down, Read, Notice, Reread, Meditate, Respond, and Exercise.
Let’s begin.

Slow Down

Jesus is here.
He’s sitting in your favorite spot, waiting for you to join Him.
You have a million things on your mind that need your attention, but right now it’s time to be with Jesus.
Set those things aside, relax, and calm your body.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, then slowly release it.
As you inhale, whisper: “Jesus, I give you my mask.”
As you exhale, pray: “I want to be myself.”
Do this three times, then rest in His presence.

Read

Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy. The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!
(Luke 12:1–3, NLT)

Notice

What stands out to you in this passage?
Is there a word or phrase that catches your attention?
Hold it in your heart for a moment.

Reread

Hear this passage again — and notice what Jesus says about what is hidden and what will be revealed.

Meditate

Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees — their hypocrisy.
Yeast is a powerful image. You can't see it working. It spreads slowly, invisibly, through the whole batch of dough. By the time you notice it, it's already everywhere.
That's what hypocrisy does. It starts small — a carefully managed impression here, a version of yourself you present to certain people there. A mask for work, a mask for church, a mask for social media, a mask for home. And slowly, quietly, the gap between who you appear to be and who you actually are grows wider and wider.
Jesus doesn't warn His disciples about the Pharisees' theology first. He warns them about their hypocrisy. Because hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual disease — it's the one that's hardest to see in yourself.
And then He says something that should make us all stop: "The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all."
Everything. All of it. The private version of you. The things you've said in the dark. The thoughts you've entertained behind closed doors. The gap between your public faith and your private life.
It will all come out.
Now here's the invitation in that warning: You can choose to live in the open now — or have everything exposed later. You can take off the mask voluntarily — or have it torn off.
Living in the open is terrifying. It means letting people see the real you — the struggling, doubting, inconsistent, still-being-transformed you. But it's also the only way to live in true freedom. The person who has nothing to hide has nothing to fear.
Jesus isn't calling us to perfection. He's calling us to honesty. To be the same person in the dark that we are in the light. To close the gap between who we appear to be and who we actually are.
Take a few moments to sit with this question:
Where is the gap between my public self and my private self — and what would it look like to close it?

Respond

Jesus, I'm tired of managing my image. I'm tired of wearing masks. I want to be the same person in the dark that I am in the light. Help me to live in the open — honestly, humbly, and without pretense. I give You my masks today. All of them.

Exercise

The rush of life will meet you again when you leave this sacred place—but you can carry this moment into your day by forming new habits.
Habit: Taking Off the Mask
Today's habit is an act of courageous honesty: identify one mask you've been wearing — one version of yourself you present to the world that doesn't match who you actually are.
It might be the "I have it all together" mask. It might be the "my faith is strong" mask when you're actually struggling. It might be the "I'm fine" mask when you're not. It might be the mask you wear at church that comes off the moment you get home.
Write it down. Name it specifically.
Then ask yourself: Why am I wearing this mask? What am I afraid will happen if people see the real me? What am I protecting?
Now, choose one person — one safe, trusted person — and take the mask off with them today. Not a performance of vulnerability. Real honesty. Tell them what's actually going on. Let them see the real you.
Before you do, pray: "Jesus, I've been wearing the _________________ mask. I'm afraid that if people see the real me, they'll _________________. But You see the real me — all of it — and You still love me. Help me to trust that kind of love. Help me to live in the open. I'm taking off this mask today."

I have two asks of you before you go, could you please share this podcast with one person today and check out the review of this podcast on Elevate Society?
That’s your two minutes with Jesus for today.
Now, take what you’ve heard…share it and live it.
Until next time, keep slowing down, keep listening, and keep walking with Jesus.