First impressions

This morning I noticed a beautiful eucalyptus ficifolia on my morning walk. As it was on the opposite side of the street I had to cross over to get a good photo. I waited for the traffic to clear, noting a white car, a little further up on my left, about to turn right (so I thought) into the street I was crossing. Clear enough I decided. I was nearly over, my eyes on my phone as I set it up to take the photo, when a car horn tooted on my left side. I looked up to see a car within in a metre of me and rather angry-looking woman in the driver's seat!  For a moment I was confused - I was positive that car was going turn in the other direction.  Then, as I calmly took my photos, I had a fleeting memory of a white car with an indicator flashing on the left side......

As I reflected rather thankfully on my escape from serious injury I couldn't forget the look on the face of the woman. She had her son (I assume) in her car and was most likely taking him to school as it was around 8:30am.  I could imagine her telling her son what an idiot I was, telling him of the danger of using mobile phones while crossing roads, the importance of road rules and being aware etc. The impression she probably gained of me was one of a careless, mobile phone nerd - which is not at all true!

It made me think about how easily we judge other people based on our impressions.  We can be so wrong and yet adamant that because we saw them act in a certain way we understand them well.  People are very complex beings and not all outward actions are indicative of what a person is really like.  I can lose my temper like anyone else but I'm not always angry. I'm not an angry person and I don't hold grudges but if someone saw me angry they could perhaps think I was!

We need to accept others unconditionally. The advice Paul gave the Romans reagarding interaction with others is very apt. "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." Romans 15:7.