My wife and I were in Casey’s convenience store in southern Chillicothe, Missouri. Although May, the early morning air had a slight crispness to it. As per usual, my wife enjoys a cup of coffee…preferably one made with my assortment of additional ingredients. It’s my way to express my love toward her; to take a little bit of time to make a cup of coffee not just be a drink but an experience. As we gathered at the front counter to pay for the coffee, the cashier noticed how diligent I was to make a cup of coffee and she also noticed that my wife and I were not the “usuals” who come in the morning for their coffee, fuel, maybe a slice of pizza or a donut before heading out for their day. And we didn’t have the appearance of tourists who simply made a stop along the way. I shared generally why we were there. She immediately recognized the name Corzette and asked if I were related to my grandparents. I replied that I was their eldest grandson. She responded affectionately that they were good people and that she had worked for an agency to had taken care of their house needs for a brief time perhaps a year prior. A couple of years later and maybe a year after my grandpa had passed away, another man inquired why I was asking about a particular place. I mentioned that I was the eldest grandson of my grandpa. He immediately responded that he worked with him and knew of no harder worker than my grandpa and that he was an honest man.
Reputation is something that is built over a lifetime. Although it can change or be altered, we are all builders of our reputation. And to what effect of that reputation—our empire we build—is something that either others can build upon, enjoy and reflect and appreciate, or can totally and utterly destroy…with consequences that may surpass the lifetime of the empire builder. What is it that we are building?
Early in Jesus’ ministry (most) men were from geographically the same background (Judas Iscariot was not, that was another writing from years ago) but each had their own attributes. Each one was building a reputation (an empire). And with direct and revealing words (perhaps another writing later about this individual), Jesus said of Nathaniel (rarely is he mentioned in scripture outside of the numbering), “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” For Nathaniel, a reputation for truth. A reputation for treating others as he would like to be treated. Caring, compassionate, giving, loving, forgiving. There was no veil or shadow within the heart of Nathaniel toward another.
And a host of men and women throughout the Word of God share their story of the empire they were building. Some, like Rahab, Ruth, Jabez, Saul (who later became Paul), Matthew, etc., were changed forever with an encounter. And whether by God (even through a prophet or others) or through His Son Jesus everyone was touched, granted dignity, restored, loved, forgiven, healed by the Man of no reputation. Paul addresses this in Philippians 2:5-11, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that as the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Jesus, God on earth, who could have used His power and glory and everything else, came with an intended purpose. Scratch that, intended purposes because it was more than simply—although that is much more than sufficient enough—His death upon Calvary’s tree for the remission and substitutionary atonement for our sins. Further, He rose from the dead proving that He had power over sin and death which means that God has the final word above sickness, brokenness, loss, hurt, addictions, judgements in a courtroom, diagnosis from a doctor, and even death. But He also provided a way of life. A Man of no reputation showed us a way. A way to relate to others. To care. To have compassion. To express empathy. To forgive. To serve? Yes, to serve even those who in one moment will love Him and then shout “Crucify Him” later. He loved and served those who society discarded, priests desired to kill, and who had nothing and no way to pay back in kind. And yet, He served. To pray. To be devoted. To follow not His will but His Father’s will. To give. To love. And through His life and how He lived His life, we can accept and step into that flow of Jesus to live and to give of ourselves as Jesus did…even when sacrifice will be needed.
And because of our example of how Jesus built His empire—not of power, strength, fame, or revenge—by being a Man of no reputation, we, too, can live a life of no reputation not built of a crumbling testimony that may fade away. But one of no reputation so that—as Jesus—all that matters is “the glory of God the Father”. Will we build God’s empire by being a man (or woman) of no reputation?