As I shopped for groceries one day, I was perceived as a thief by one
person and a hero by another.
As I exited the supermarket, an employee said, “Excuse me, Sir. There
are too many unbagged items in your cart.” This is evidently a strategy used by
shoplifters. When he saw that they were products too big to be bagged, he
apologized and sent me on my way.
In the parking lot, a woman glanced at my gold embroidered sportsman’s
cap. Mistaking it for a military hat, she said, “Thank you for defending our
country!” Then she walked away.
The supermarket employee and the woman in the parking lot had each
formed hasty conclusions about me. It’s easy to form opinions of others based
on first impressions.
When Samuel was to select the next king of Israel from the sons of
Jesse, he too made a judgment based on first impressions. However, God’s chosen
was not any of the older sons. The Spirit told Samuel, “Do not look at his
appearance or at his physical stature” (1 Sam. 16:7). God chose David, the
youngest, who looked least like a king.
God can help us view people through His eyes, for “the Lord does not see as man sees; . . . the Lord looks at the heart” (v.7).
First impressions can often lead to wrong conclusions. (RBC)
