Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 1 Kings 10:2 (NIV)

It is said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

For the past couple of weeks Wendy and I have had our house cleaner, less cluttered, and more organized than it has been in nine years. We have had it on the market since the first of the month and have been entertaining a river of strangers flowing in and through. When you’re selling your house, you want the house to make a good first impression.

I thought about the Queen of Sheba this morning and the impression she must have made on Solomon with her traveling entourage and her caravan of goods and riches. Based on the Queen of Sheba’s response to Solomon, the favorable first impression went both ways.

Today, I’m thinking about the first impressions I make in business and in the community. Jesus said that we are to be Light in a dark world. I don’t want that light on a dimmer switch or utilizing a slow fade in. I want that Light to shine with instant brilliance when I meet others.