A few weeks ago, a new neighbor moved in. They moved in the same day I was painting my back deck. I was painting it bright red. I did not mean to paint it bright red. The color I purchased was Redwood and like its name, I expected it to be colored like a redwood tree. However, a more apt name would have been Fire-engine because that was the color of this paint.

I had just concluded painting the overhanging section of my deck. Since I was painting with a roller above my head, I was covered head to toe in bright red paint. I had removed my shirt and shoes to save them from being completely covered. My shorts were already a loss. When I finished painting, I still had some time left in the day, so I decided to go into my front yard and pick weeds from the garden. As I bent down shirtless, shoeless, and covered in red paint, the door of the house next to mine opened. Out came my new neighbors ready to meet me for the first time.

It was not the best first impression.

We have all had bad first impressions in our lives. Times, when people met us, that we did not quite live up to our expectations of ourselves. I have always wondered what I would think if I were to meet some of the people from the Bible. What would my first impression be if I were to meet John the Baptist? Would I think he was a holy man of God or just some looney tunes fellow who doesn’t shave and eats a weird diet of locus and honey? Would I accept him or brush him aside?

What if I were to meet Rahab? Would I be like Joshua and find her to be a woman of God or would I dismiss her as a harlot? First impressions are not always the best impression.

Since that awkward meeting, I have met my neighbors several more times when I was in more normal outfits. I am glad they gave me the opportunity for a second first impression. The whole experience as made me wonder is there, someone, I should allow a second first impression?