Philippians 4:5
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
He was short, a little overweight, and in his forties, with a long white beard. We walked into a restaurant together, and on the way to our table we passed a family with a young child. The child looked up, his eyes widened, and he whispered, “Santa Claus.”
That was his first impression of my friend.
Our verse today reminds us that we all make a first impression. Paul even tells us what kind of first impression we ought to make on people: “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”
When people first see you, what do they see? Do they think you are friendly, or confident, or insecure, or trustworthy? If you do not know, it is worth finding out. A good first impression should not be an accident.
Maybe, like my friend, what people see in you is Santa Claus.
Prayer: “Jesus, form my heart until my presence quietly points people toward You,
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.