Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

Recently I met two different people I had met around 6 years ago on a business trip to Colorado. These were not business associates. Both I had talked to for some length but at that time it was about worldly things, don’t thing I brought up my faith or the Gospel. Well upon seeing both of these people at different times again recently, neither remembered me or the long conversations we had.

The impression was not given to them by the Gospel so I was quickly forgotten. Case in point? I can recall on a college Spring Break 30 years ago in Mexico a young man witnessing the Gospel to me, I can almost still see his face in this memory, his hair was blond for example and wearing a white t-shirt. He spoke to me about the Good News of which I was not interested in at the time, but he did leave me an impression because of that Gospel.

As mentioned in the previous post, we have approximately about a minute to make a good impression on a new person we meet. They will form their impression of you quickly during this time so be aware of this. And it will take awhile if you want that impression of yourself to change. In sales we know this inherent fact as well. You will lose every single buyer if a good impression is not made rather quickly. Dilly dallying or making jokes of which the receiver doesn’t have time for will imprint you on their brain as irrelevant. Yes, irrelevant.

Smile, be cordial, make that good impression. If you have been around dogs, they are keenly aware of looking past externals and onto the heart. They know who has the nice hearts and who has the angry vitriolic hearts and behave accordingly around them. Human beings are less aware of this, but still have enough intuition to know who is probably a scammer or a criminal or who is depressed and angry than not. So be aware of your impression and imprint on new people as if you are going to share the Gospel, a sense of trust must be established first.

Imagine the Apostle Paul as he traveled incessantly during his mission trips to Ephesus or to Corinth or to Galatia and the impression and imprint he left and it was solidified by the Gospel. Most everyone in those regions who came across Paul remembered him from then on,who he was, and what he preached. Paul was a tent maker by trade, hardly flamboyant or of great charisma. But Paul was driven by the Gospel, he was JOYFUL and CONFIDENT in its power! Take this lesson from Paul!