No Reputation: The Humility of Christmas

Lord, how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth! You reveal your majesty in the heavens above.

Psalm 8:1

(Jesus), being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:6-8

In the quiet night sounds of the little town of Bethlehem, among softly rustling sheep and the gentle munching of hay, the God of all Creation laid aside His magnificent reputation. 

In the prickly straw of a manger, He yielded His praise. 

Within rough-hewn homespun strips of cloth, He wrapped his glory. 

In the arms of a young, obedient girl and a brave and gentle man He yielded his power and was held.

Such humility is unnatural, unexpected. Exceptional.

It was in the midst of ordinary life that this extraordinary humility burst through the proud bonds of humanity, revealing that true Greatness comes when we lay aside our reputations to become like the King of Christmas.

One’s reputation is perhaps the hardest thing to lay upon the altar. 

When falsely accused, misunderstood, or misrepresented, our natural reaction is to defend ourselves and commend our own righteousness. We justify ourselves, angrily touting our good deeds, our good standing, and the many reasons we should be admired and respected.

Our rights are our rights and how dare anyone challenge them. This is the prevailing opinion of the world we live in today.

The Baby in the manger showed us there is a time when the quiet yielding of rights speaks more loudly than the noise of forceful demand. #Christmas #Messiah #Humility Share on X

Our reputations, not only in the eyes of others but in our own eyes, must be laid aside. Genuine humility, the humility of Christmas, relinquishes both the honor we receive from others and the secret (or in some cases, not so secret) honor we give ourselves. 

Laying aside one’s reputation involves entrusting our rights and our honor to the One who willingly surrendered His. #Christmas #humility #Messiah Share on X

As I quietly meditate on the Savior this Christmas, I am struck by how willingly, how completely, Jesus laid aside His reputation to make ours clean and upright. To secure our honor. The King of Heaven, the Lord of lords, deferred His rights. He did this to rescue you and me. We meant that much to Him.

Have you ever remained silent, deferring your rights for the benefit of another? It is extremely difficult. Something in us rises up and demands justice. In such moments, we burn with righteous indignation and self-preservation. 

It is rare for a person to lay aside what is rightfully due to her that another may be rescued, protected, or praised.

Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” 

Is it possible to be completely humble? Jesus was. And if He says to be completely humble, it must be possible. 

Jesus invites us to follow Him to the Place of No Reputation. The place where we are not driven by what others think of us, or even what we think of ourselves, by where we stand socially, or where we wish we stood.

The Baby in the manger is calling us to the place where we are completely fixed upon His will for our lives, His reputation in us, His righteousness in place of ours. No matter our circumstances. This is a place of obedience, and this is a liberating place to dwell.

On Christmas, Jesus showed us the way to complete humility in a splintery, coarse manger.

Before you lay the baby Jesus in his manger in your nativity this Christmas, pause a moment and hold it in your hands. Take time to reflect on the very reputation of the King of Kings and Lord of lords laid aside in mere hay.

Precious, eternal, lasting treasure… held by rubbish.

You, too, are a treasure, even if your circumstances, your reputation this Christmas seem like rubbish. In the quietness of acceptance and trust, God’s glory will shine through you.

Let us all say a quiet prayer that we may follow His example and lay aside our reputations this Christmas to follow the humble Christ. Rest in Him and release your honor into His trustworthy hands.

Lord, I have concerned myself too much with my reputation. I lay it gently in the prickly hay of humility today and trust you with who I am meant to be. Amen.

Merry Christmas to you, dear readers!

@audreycfrank