“But what about me?” can be a common refrain in our house. It is almost always said after someone receives a compliment. The child who utters these words is usually wondering whether they are equally as skilled in the complimented area, or whether they might receive their own recognition for their talents and gifts. They hear someone else receiving glory and they immediately want to share in the spotlight.
I suppose it is somewhat natural for each of us to desire recognition for the whole of who we are. We want our good attributes highlighted, and our negative ones ignored. As we get older, we might learn that it is more polite to celebrate the just recognition that others receive (instead of trying to divert the attention onto ourselves), but our desire for admiration is not diminished. We are creatures that seek glory – primarily the glory that we think we deserve.
It is remarkable then that Jesus, the one to Whom all glory is due, was willing to lay that aside when He came to Earth. Instead of constantly displaying His majesty and might, the fullness of His glory was cloaked by the incarnation. Instead of turning the spotlight on Himself, Christ sought to glorify the Father whom He served (John 17:4). Of course, there were times that God allowed for His glory to be glimpsed, but over the course of His Earthly ministry, these times were rare and had a limited audience. In an instance, Jesus could have revealed the awesomeness of Who He was to all who walked on the Earth, but doing so would have inhibited His Father’s work. Philippians 2:6 states, that Christ did not “count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” Cultivating personal glory was not what was most important to Him; obedience to His Heavenly Father was.
This is no small thing – the laying aside of Christ’s glory. God, who is so radiant that man cannot behold him, came to this Earth and had “no beauty that we should admire Him” (Is. 53:2). The One to Whom all majesty is ascribed walked through this world without any sense of elegance or brilliance. There was little in His appearance that drew people to Him and prior to his public ministry, his reputation seems to be almost nonexistent. Yet He was the King of the creation, and the One who through whom everything was made (Col. 1:16). The whole world should have been paying attention to Him, yet precious few did. Even today, very few people are willing to acknowledge Him for Who He is.
As people who are quick to seek recognition for what makes us special, it should astound us that Christ was willing to do this. We struggle when we do not get properly acknowledged over minor things; but the all-knowing, all-powerful One put His glory aside for the sake of those He loved. He knew that taking the penalty for our sin required Him to take on flesh and dwell among us, and He did so because through His resurrection from the dead, our redemption would be secured. He gave up what He was due that we might experience His unmerited favor. He laid aside majesty that we may be bestowed mercy; He sacrificed glory that we may get grace. Let us not forget this as we celebrate Him this season, and let us in turn, seek to glorify Him as He deserves.
