Is Your Reputation a Stumbling Block? By R. Scott Rodin

A Steward Leader’s Perspective on Reputation

The New King James Version of Philippians 2 says Jesus “made himself of no reputation.”

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.

Philippians 2:5–8, NKJV

It doesn’t say Jesus made himself a bad or questionable reputation, but simply “no reputation.” That is, reputation, image, prestige, prominence, power, and other trappings of leadership were not only devalued—they were purposefully dismissed. Reputation—cultivation, elevation, and protection—was unimportant to Jesus in His ministry. Jesus became such a man not by default or accident but by intention and design. And only in this form could He serve, love, give, teach, and lead.

The Culture Challenge

This is likely a challenge for us in our increasingly divided and toxic culture. We have been taught that developing a good reputation is part of living a holy and ethical life. But in that assumption lies an insidious temptation. Reputation and pride are so closely linked that it is challenging to consider one without the other. When concerned about our reputation, we can’t help but be attentive to what people think of us, be sensitive to criticism, and always be on guard to protect a wrong notion or unfair judgment of our work and character.

Here’s the hard truth: caring too much about our reputation as leaders is absolute bondage. We can invest inordinate amounts of time in propping up our reputations, ensuring nobody feels ill toward us, and trying to squash any rumor or bad report. And we can do this believing this has nothing to do with our pride. Such is the deception that underlies this idea of reputation.

Following Jesus

Following Jesus is an ongoing, disciplined practice of becoming a person of no reputation and, thus, becoming more like Christ in this unique way; in his reflections on Christian leadership, Henri Nouwen refers to this as resisting the temptation to be relevant. In In the Name of Jesus, he said, “I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her vulnerable self.” [1]

A Fundamental Position

At one point in my life, I would’ve rejected this idea outright. Now, I believe it is the fundamental position of a steward leader who seeks to lead as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Simply put, we are not the caretakers of our reputation. Heavy chains will fall from our shoulders when we embrace this understanding. We are called to be obedient disciples of Jesus Christ, period. That may bring us a good, bad, or no reputation at all. That’s up to God.

If we obediently follow Him, lead as faithful and obedient stewards, love our neighbors, speak the truth in love, and proclaim the coming kingdom of God, then our reputation should be of little consequence to us.

Are you leading in a way that ensures the safekeeping of your reputation, or are you willing to give it up completely to follow Jesus regardless of the cost?

Time to Reflect

Think back to a time when an unjust rumor or a skewed perspective threatened your reputation. How much effort and energy did you employ to “set things straight”? Would that be enough for you if you were known simply as a person who would go wherever God directs and do whatever God asks? If so, name the first thing you must do to turn your reputation back over to God, then place it in His hands with the confidence that if you obey Him, He will be its trustworthy caretaker.

[1] Henri Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership (Chestnut Ridge, NY: Crossroads, 1999), 37.

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R. Scott Rodin is the Senior Consultant/Chief Strategy Officer for The Focus Group. Over the past thirty-eight years, Scott Rodin has helped hundreds of organizations improve their effectiveness in leadership, fund development, strategic planning, and board development. His books and articles have been translated into over twenty languages, and he has taught and consulted with ministries across five continents. He also serves as a Senior Fellow of the Association of Biblical Higher Education and as board chair for ChinaSource.

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