The Mind ConnectionPrimjer

Re-Think Your First Impressions

Judging someone by a first impression without having all the facts can be a problem even for people who love God and are serious about serving Him. Our mind makes judgments about people–right or wrong—and within minutes, we form opinions that can sabotage a relationship before it ever begins.

Have you ever met someone you immediately disliked? We all have, but how could we honestly dislike someone that we barely know, or perhaps don’t know at all? I’ve dealt with this problem in my life. I am naturally a quick decision maker, but that’s not always good when it comes to relationships. The sad thing is people usually feel our dislike or rejection. If we don’t reveal it in what we say, we do with voice tones, facial expressions, or body language.

I always say, “Where the mind goes, the man follows.” It’s impossible for me to think evil thoughts about someone when I am not with them and then be kind and friendly when I see them. I might fake it, but most people would realize something wasn’t right even if they didn’t know what it was.

It’s important to see people the way God sees them. First Samuel 16:7 says: “For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” I realize that we cannot be “best friends” with everyone we meet, but if we are willing, we can learn to think about people the way God thinks about them. As we do, we’ll recognize each person as a valuable possibility instead of a potential problem.

Make the Mind Connection: The way you think about people affects how you treat them.

Adapted from The Mind Connection by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2015 by Joyce Meyer. Reprinted with permission of FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. All rights reserved.