Seven Seconds – Part 3

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11

You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Your message may be wonderful and much needed by the hearer, but the look on your face can turn people off before you open your mouth. Ever notice how many people have bad memories of growing up in church? They recall stern, severe, strange-looking people who passed condemnation on the world at large. What a disservice to God! A little girl once saw a mule looking over a fence. Patting him on the head, she said, ‘It’s okay; my aunt is religious too!’ Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd.’ The word ‘good’ comes from the Greek word kelos, which means ‘winsome’ [attractive, pleasant, engaging]. Jesus’ attitude won people over every time! What we say accounts for 7 per cent of what people believe. How we say it accounts for 38 per cent. What they see accounts for 55 per cent. Amazingly, more than 90 per cent of the nonverbal cues we give off have nothing to do with what we actually say! So, if you think communication is just about words, you’re missing the boat, and the chances are you’ll have a hard time connecting with others. A member of his staff once asked Abraham Lincoln to give a friend of his a job. After interviewing the man, Lincoln turned him down. Asked why, he replied, ‘Because I didn’t like the look on his face.’ The White House staffer protested, ‘That’s not fair! Nobody’s responsible for the look on their face.’ Lincoln replied, ‘That’s where you’re wrong. Everyone over forty is responsible for the look on their face.’ So…what does your facial expression say to others?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to have my face reflect mercy and compassion and caring – and most of all YOU. In Jesus’ Name, Amen