There’s a word, reputation, bouncing about in my brain.
It just so happens it showed up in three (!) different devotionals, all in emails that come regularly into my inbox – all YESTERDAY.
When something seems to have a tendency to repeat itself, I have to ask why.
Is there something to which I need to pay attention?
I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone NOT concerned about their reputation.
Built within each of us is this desire to be seen in the best light possible.
(…and, it’s so hard to let it go when someone thinks ill of us, or has a story wrong, or only has partial information….I SO WANT TO DEFEND MYSELF!!! In fact, I can think of one instance, right now, that has gone uncorrected for years, and it still pops into my head that I should challenge it!)
We desire the affirmation of others, that their opinions and beliefs about our character are more positive than negative.
Few are the folks who don’t care…
And, I recognize that is the column I fall into. along with the majority.
I care.
Probably too much.
However, look at these verses:
Speaking of Jesus, Paul says:
He made himself of no reputation… He made Himself nothing.
Jesus wasn’t looking for greatness.
We never hear him called “Jesus the Great.”
Instead, He preferred the moniker:
Servant of All
Along with this, the Psalmist declares there is NOTHING we should desire more than a relationship with the Lord while here on earth: not success, not finances, not power, not fulfillment of potential, and, definitely not reputation.
Like Jesus, I’d love to set aside self and “make myself nothing and desire nothing” more than the Father and serving Him according to His will – no matter what others might say.
They may think me odd – I know of many who would characterize me as “fanatical.”
They may think me legalistic – I hear that one quite often, actually.
They may be of the opinion I’m not very loving, or kind, or _____________________ (maybe you can fill in the blank with something else).
In the end, what matters is what the Lord’s opinion of me is!!!
In his sweet daily prayer (The Gospel Coalition: Heavenward Blog) written yesterday, Scotty Smith, points to a young man with whom the Apostle John was acquainted. John says this about him:
“Diotrophes, who loves to be first…”
3 John 1:9
Smith goes on to pray this:
“Dear Jesus, during the past couple of weeks, a particular phrase from my spiritual dad keeps coming to mind.
“A reputation is too heavy of a load for a child of God to carry.”
(-Jack Miller-)
Thinking too much about what others think of us will crush us. Tying our sense of well-being to the high regard of others will seduce, then destroy us. Loving to be first, like Diotrophes, might get our name in the Bible, but as a warning, not a blessing…”
What a sad sentence – especially for Diotrophes.
Especially for me!
In Paul David Tripp’s, “Wednesday’s Word,” he discusses attending Tim Keller’s church last Sunday. Pastor Keller – influential, quotable, and a clear exegetic of the gospel – passed away last week. He left a final video message for the congregation dear to his heart. In the message, he said this:
Do not seek reputation!
Boom.
That was it.
Then quoting Jeremiah’s exhortation to his secretary, Baruch, Pastor Keller left these final words of wisdom, solid biblical counsel, for all of us:
“And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not…”
(Jeremiah 45:5)
So, what do we do when our reputation doesn’t match the oh-so-hoped-for-reputation which we desire, especially among people who mean something to us, who have been instrumental in our spiritual development, or one-time-good-friends?
Paul has the prescription ready for us in Philippians 2:5-11, which can be summed up in these few words:
Humble yourself.
Set aside your reputation.
Empty yourself.
Fill up with the Spirit of the Lord.
Take the nature of a servant.
Live obediently for an audience of ONE!
Make your desire be the only thing that matters on earth: God’s opinion.
A Haiku Prayer:
Grant me an outlook
That cares not what others think
But seeks out God’s thoughts
Amen.
