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)
