SyndicationPerception/ First Impression
Everyone has someway somehow been judged by their first appearance. It could be by the way you talk, the way you walk, the way you stare, the way you dress, etc, and these are all little details that people analyze to have a sense of who we are. Some of these things could actually be part of our character, especially when people constantly have that same first impression about you.
Negative impressions could however be painful when you're being taking for some else you're not. Has someone ever had a false impression about you? Did you ask that person why they thought like that when they first met you?. Whether people's first impressions about you are right or wrong, there is always something that trigger that thought. I know you've had a false impression about someone before....What made you think that way?
You can obtain favor and acceptance from the very first impression you make or you could be blackmailed and rejected. whether you like it or not this is how it works in the world we are living in.
People's impressions about us don't change who we are but could characterize to what we are. Even though as Christians, we are to live our lives to please God and not men, our reputation in the society is very important.
Sometimes people have to CREATE that first impression in other for them to obtain what they want, and so Perception could be deceptive. But in this case, wouldn't it be a sin since you're not manipulating someone? ...
...well I don't know......
What do you think?
Has someone ever had a negative false impression about you for the first time meting you? or have you had one about someone and later realized you were wrong? Share your story..........
this topic has been on my mind for the past week and I believe it is important to address. I agree with Shalom that first impressions are not always correct. We cannot deny that when we meet people for the first time we 'categorize' them and sometimes we are wrong, sometimes maybe right. Human beings are complex creatures. I believe we need to ask God to help us understand that human beings are more than what words can identify. We are people and we must learn not to act too quickly based on our impressions of somebody. We cannot judge and God knew that and its clear even in 1Samuel when God told Samuel to annoint a king, that "Man looks on the outside but God looks at the heart". Therefore, we should ask God to teach us to look beyond the outside and the 'categories' we have put in our heads, to truly know people:Because sometimes the impressions can hinder us from valueing and loving others. It hurts to be put in a box and i admit i've done it myself but when i realise how wrong I am, I thank God that I am able to learn to look at someone's heart!
Also, when we constantly hear a word describing us from other people's first impressions, we must ask ourselves why. It could be differences in culture or other areas. One thing i know for sure is that my first impressions on many people and theirs of me were based on cultural norms and expectations.In cases like this, what should we do? Should we bash people just because our first impression of them was negative?