Reputation vs. Identity

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
-Ephesians 2:10
      Recently I have been reading a book titled "Jesus Creed" by Scot McKnight, in which he discusses the two greatest commandments; love God and love others. One of the chapters is about reputation and identity, and he focuses on the story of Joseph. I want to give my thoughts about this topic.
      A reputation is what someone gets from other people. It's what other people say you are. If you are seen studying a lot, your reputation is that you are a studious person. If you are very kind to other people, your reputation is that you are a kind person. A reputation is based on what other people think you are or what they think you do. Therefore, the only actions you do that will affect your reputation is what you do in front of other people. What you do at home by yourself can't damage or help your reputation. People can only give you a reputation based on what you do in front of them. This allows people to make themselves look better than they are, because they are able to do things in front of others that make them seem like good people. A reputation is easily built and easily changed.
      An identity is different though. It is what you really are, not what others perceive you to be. It is independent of how you act, how you dress, or what you say. It is based on where you belong or who you belong to. Knowing your identity is crucial to living a purposeful and productive life. Knowing your identity allows you to ignore what others say because your reputation no longer matters. Once you know who you are you start to live the way that you are supposed to be. You're not worried about building your reputation, but protecting and proclaiming your identity.
      I want to end with an analogy. A reputation is like a nickname. It is given to you based on what others think of you. If someone gives you the nickname "brains", people believe that you are smart, regardless if you really are or not. Your identity is like your real name. It is who you really are and where you belong. It cannot be changed based on what others think, because that can't change who your parents are. Your identity can't be changed by your reputation, but your reputation can be changed by your identity. What other people believe about you doesn't change where you belong. The more you show your identity, the more people start to recognize who you are and your identity and reputation become the same thing. To show your identity, you have to know it first though. Where do you belong?
-Smart