TODAY IS…

a great day to choose a good first impression.

“Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.”  Proverbs 22:1 NLT

We are all probably familiar with the expression, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”

We should certainly all want it to be a good one. Not very many people would knowingly, and intentionally, set out to make a bad impression. Our reputation precedes us in many aspects of life. For many individuals, their only impression of us is our reputation.

So we must ask ourselves what sort of first impression is our reputation giving others?

If we are seeking employment and are approaching someone we have never met for an interview, we have probably sent out a resume ahead of us and something about that resume caught the eye of the one making decisions. So far so good. First look is a good one, so we show up for the interview on time, properly groomed, positive, confident, and upbeat. The second “first look” is good. The interviewer checks into your background and things start to go downhill. Perhaps there is a past history of legal problems that we were not forthright about. Perhaps they check with a previous employer and, while it is not acceptable for a previous employer to speak poorly of someone, saying nothing at all, or simply stating that we are not eligible for rehire, speaks volumes in a negative sense.

If we have good reputations in our personal and professional lives, it is of the utmost importance that we live our lives making a conscious effort to keep it intact. A good relationship with God can help us do that.

But what if we have made mistakes? What if some of them are serious errors in judgment? God has assured us of His forgiveness, but what about the forgiveness of our neighbors, our friends, our families and our employers? Can we ever overcome a bad reputation and get a second opportunity to make a good first impression?

The answer is an emphatic, “Yes!”

Do not be discouraged and do not give up. The first thing to do is to look to God’s Word for guidance.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT).

We must ask God to give us all that we need to be forthright with people about our mistakes, and to give us the patience we will require to rebuild our reputation.The process can be a long, and sometimes discouraging, one.

But it can be done.

Whether this is our first or second “first impression”, look to God for help in choosing to make it a good one.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson