Impression.
Today’s word is impression. Many of us try impress others to some extent. Us women, we wear make up; we try to make ourselves more “beautiful”, even go through the pain of heels. Why? Who are we trying to impress?
Besides what do we do on the outside to impress, what about how we act? Do we go out of our way to impress that one “important” person? Do we act more caring and interested when someone you know is getting married, a family friend gets a promotion, a friend tells you they are having a baby? We care but do we really care that much? We may, but probably not.
When a first time guests walks out of a church, the goal should be “leaving with a good impression”. Typically, the impression is done in multiple layers. From what they see and how they feel when they first come in, the people (How they are treated, what conversations they had, if any), research suggest the least two important part is the worship and the preaching. What does that mean? It means it starts with YOU.
If you are a servant of the Lord and I pray you are then it starts with your ownself. It’s a key to keeping a guest, it’s a key to building up the Kingdom of God. A popular command from Jesus himself is to “love your neighbor as yourself”. Impressing is not loving, it is going beyond the means of your ownself temporarily to put yourself in favor.
If we focus on our relationship with Christ, if we focus on the loving of self. We will not have to impress, we just do. Our extent of our self will overflow into our serving. Serving comes from the heart, serving isn’t a requirement, it shouldn’t be seen as one, it should be done in overflow of love.
I’ve been to a few churches, some mega churches. Some of them I felt it was forced. I felt like they were just doing; trying to impress so hard that they forgot why they are serving and who they serving. Some of them served their leader before the served their King.
To be a true servant, you must first be a true Christian: ““Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” -Romans 12:9-13
Therefore, impressing is not godly, or biblical. Leaving a lasting impression on someone is. If we show people who we are as the body of Christ, that we are genuine, that we love and serve with our hearts and not for affirmation. We can change people’s lives.
Stop impressing. Start just being and allow God to use the you behind your flaws you cover up, behind the weakness you try to hide. God can’t bless you if it’s not the real you.
Tanya Elise 