My Mom’s a Brunette, I Promise

By Hally Franz –

I can’t remember which image I caught first. After numerous psychology and education class discussions of the classic drawing, I’ve forgotten whether my eyes and brain first registered the lovely, young Victorian lady or the wrinkled, hooded, old lady. You know the one I’m talking about. The lesson pertains to perception. Some people see the young lady, others the old one.

If asked what color my mom’s hair is, I might say she’s brunette. In fact, I have. In my mind, that’s the truth and, without thinking, that’s how I have described her. I was raised by a dark-haired mother; she’s the one that sent me off to college. Over the years, though, she has become increasingly blond. She’s practically platinum, but my mind has been slow to recognize the change.

We all know how critical first impressions are. We are particularly aware of them when we meet a potential employer. Those first impressions are often the moments and pictures remembered by those we encounter. They are brief spans of time that become perceptions, opinions and beliefs.

At first glance the lesson seems obvious. Let’s make sure we show everyone we meet the Christ-like person we hope they see in us. When we’re granted only seconds or minutes, let’s put our best face forward, lest we never get another chance.

That’s the lesson I see first here. It’s the one that registered with me initially. After another longer look I see an extra bit of insight. It occurs to me that I have some impressions-turned-beliefs fixed in my head that may require second looks and updates. A few go back 40 years to elementary school! I don’t know about you, but I hope others see me differently than they may have 40, 30 and even 20 years ago. I hope they’ve given me a longer look over the years.

After repeated college lectures and visual examinations of this exercise, I can see both the old and young lady. Which one I saw first is of no importance now. I think I’ll thumb through my brain’s personnel files, do some reviews and update some old perceptions I have about people. That’s a goal with merit, I think.

While, most of us have learned to interact in a Christian way, we may still have head and heart issues to focus on. You see, I am a brunette—even when my hair leaves my colorist seeing red.

PRAYER: Gracious Father, open my eyes to see people as they truly are without making judgments based on glances and fleeting moments, just as You look deeper at all Your children.

“But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. Hally sees each day as a new exercise, where routines change and weights vary. Her goal is to maintain all-around fitness for service, while training her children to be competitive, compassionate and Christ-like in the world in which we live.