Monday, November 7, 2011

Importance of a First Impression

You may ask yourselves what does a first impression have to do with being a leader? Some say that it has to do with building relationships or just stepping up to meet someone for the first time.  People have different views about this kind of subject and many others today.  It takes the average person today thirty seconds to make a first impression to someone they have never met before.  I believe there is only one person who made the greatest impression of mankind and it did not take him thirty seconds.  This man was Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.  What kind of first impression did Jesus make when he was here on this earth?  If you don't remember at all, let me refresh your memory on what he was talking about to his disciples on the Sermon of the Mount.  Jesus talked about nineteen different things or life lessons that we can take and learn how to be Christ-like.  He talked about the Beatitudes, what we should be in this dark world, fulfilling the law, fixing problems against our brethren, not committing adultery, divorce, meaning what you say, not taking revenge on someone, loving your enemies, being able to give, how to pray, fasting, storing treasures in heaven, quit worrying about life, two directions in life, bearing good fruits and not bad fruits, and being a wise man instead of a foolish man. 

 But in Matthew 7:28-29, is the most important verse of all when he finished on what he said to his disciples.  The verse says, "When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law."  It wasn't because of who he was speaking to on the mountain, but on how he was speaking to them.  He was speaking to the twelve as If he had already knew that these were the men who were going to change the world.  In Matthew 4:19 it says, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  In other translations, it says I will send you out to fish for people.  The reason that Jesus used the term "fishers of men", is because he was comparing the people in the world as fish and the men were the twelve disciples who were going to "catch" other leaders to lead His church or kingdom.  There is a connection between what Jesus said in Matthew 16:18-19 and in Acts 2:14.  Jesus said to Peter, "On this rock, I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."  Pay very close attention to verse 19.  "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven..."  I believe that this verse was foreshadowing to the verse in Acts 2:14.  It says, Peter stood up with the eleven, and he raised his voice to them about what Jesus taught them and about how Jesus died for their sins. 

When you see the word standing up, that should tell you he was being a leader by stepping up from the eleven and preaching a sermon to a crowd about Jesus.  In verse 37, they were cut to the heart because it was their sins that put Him on the cross.  When they listened to all these things, three thousand souls were baptized that day and they were having fellowship of breaking the bread.  Peter made a good first impression in front of a crowd just like Jesus did from the Sermon of the Mount.  Once we see someone make a good first impression, we may think in our heads that we want to be just like him or her because of what they just did.  Jesus and Peter gives us two perfect examples of what a good first impression is and how to give a first impression.  Remember this, you must be a follower before you can be able to lead.  Once you can be able to lead, then you will be a person leading from the inside out.