See Me

Now I normally am an office coffee machine drinker, but this morning I thought I'd treat myself to a Starbucks. As I walked to the counter, I saw this guy lounging on the couch. He had a few days of growth on his face, shorts, zippy hoodie jacket over a tee, and wore one of those Fidel Castro style military baseball caps. I ordered my coffee, paid, and turned to go out, and I saw that this guy was now leaning up from the couch with his Bible spread open and was in a deep conversation with this other guy. I could see that this guy was one of those mellow, laid back, Christian hipster, Bible study dudes. Of course I am judging from an initial visual of someone. And perhaps he could be completely different than my first impression of him, but it got me thinking. How much does our visual representation truly represent who we are? And, does it matter?

I have been sporting a trimmed beard for over a year or so. I wear jeans or shorts most everyday of my life (thankfully my vocation and congregation allow for it). Today, I am in a white linen button down, long sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Jeans. And flip flops. What does that say about me? Does that mean I am laid back? Does that mean I am a lot more casual than most? Does that mean I am not too concerned with making a sparkling first impression on others? I would say that yes, that is me. Of course this is based on my own impression, but what about someone else? Would they say that I am sloppy. Or I am unprofessional. Or I am lazy. Or whatever.

The fact remains that we do have a first impression of others. And we do leave an impression on others. I recall when my brother graduated from college and had hair down to the middle of his back. I counseled him to get a hair cut for any pending job interviews. He said "People should except me for who I am.". That is right. People should. But we don't. We make an immediate "call" on who people are. Right or wrong.