O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. – Psalm 139:1
When you first meet someone, you subconsciously make the decision whether or not you want to get to know them. We are all guilty of making this decision based on our first impressions of the person. If they do or say something that doesn’t meet our standard, then we won’t bother getting to find out what they are really like. Some people are good at giving great first impressions and some others are not so good.
The first impression we get of someone determines how involved we want to be with them. If you meet someone at church and they aren’t the type of person you would normally socialise or make friends with, you still are nice to them and talk to them sometimes but that’s about as far as it goes. You do this because as Christians we are expected to love one another but it is only on the surface. Talking to someone at church is one thing but doing it outside of church is another.
Our view of someone is based on what we know of them. Most people only show a part of themselves when we see or talk to them. We all victims of underestimation – either by doing it or receiving it. Due to the busyness of life, sometimes there is only a short opportunity to get to know someone and if they don’t measure up, we can’t be bothered to get to know them more. The first impression is the one that sticks, and we carry it with us every time we talk to that person.
Sometimes, the unwillingness to get to know someone better is a one-way street. The person you think you know may be wanting to get to know you better. They want to chat, visit, or socialise with you but for some reason, they feel they can’t. One reason, we may be unwilling to get to know others better is because we’re too busy with those we do want to know. You know the ones…they’re the people you always invite to your parties, to go out with or the ones you always talk with at church.
The next time you’re at church, take a look around and if you see someone you know by themselves, would you be willing to go up to them and chat or not? The answer you give will be based on that first impression (and maybe subsequent ones) you got from them. Our underestimation creates a barrier that prevents us from getting to know someone else better.
Thankfully, Jesus never underestimated anybody. He knew our potential right from the start. Each day, He wants to get to know us more and there are no first impressions to overcome. Knowing who and what we are is not a choice for Him…it is a way of life.
When he was here on earth, Jesus took the timeout from his circle of friends to get know others better and as a result, His circle grew bigger. He found out what we are capable of and used them to further His Kingdom. Even though others may think “what you see, is what you get”, He knew differently.
We all need to take a page out of Jesus’ book and look at others as he sees them. That person you don’t talk to often may end up being a great friend. It’s time to kill off those first impressions and really get to know someone.
Originally published June 2019