My first hat was placed on my head by a nurse, shortly after I was born. Then twenty years later I put my ‘husband’ hat. I’ve worn nephew, uncle, father-in-law hats, as well as my ‘minister’ hats: Associate Pastor, regional manager and seminar instructor hats.

Jesus also wore many hats during his lifetime. He wore ‘healer’, ‘friend of the sinner’, and ‘counselor’ hats to name only three. But one hat mattered most.

He wore it shortly before his death and it wasn’t good looking but actually embarrassing to look at. It was most likely thrown away without memorializing it nor the dried blood that stained it.

That hat of thorns was placed on his head to mock him, not to define Him or the life He had lived. But define Him and his mission, it certainly did. For He had been born just to die. His life’s end wasn’t an accident. It was an ending determined before there was time. “ … the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) KJV

He wore that crown of thorns so that no matter what hat we wear, it’s worn with the assurance that God loved us enough to wrap his Son in humanity and ask him to wear that hat all the way to the cross.

Be very thankful this Christmas season!

(photo by Soren Pilman)