Are you competent to do the tasks that are assigned to you? Do those around you consider you to be a capable person? How do you demonstrate it?
How could you prove that you are a child of God?
That’s the heart of the temptation Jesus faced in the wilderness. “If you are the Son of God…” that was how the devil started his temptation of Jesus (Matt 4:1-11):
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘People do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Jesus knew his mission and the power that would come with his mission (Matt 3:11-12). Jesus also knew his identity. Right before the wilderness, in his baptism, the Spirit of God and the voice of God from heaven confirmed to him that he was the Son of God. Jesus knew that he was loved by God and that God found pleasure in him (Matt 3:16-17). Jesus should also know that he would have the glory of the name of all names – the ultimate glory of Lord’s name (Phil 2:9-11).
But was Jesus sure of his identity? Or was he satisfied with it? The tempter offered Jesus an opportunity to prove himself with power, fame, and wealth - a chance to play God. Would Jesus prove himself? Would Jesus define his identity apart from God?
That was also the heart of the temptation that Adam and Eve faced. They also had a wholesome mission and were endowed with power (Gen 1:28). And they could come before God anytime without any hindrance, fear, or pretention. Yet when the serpent offered them the chance to play God, they felt the identity crisis.
The central issue is not that we should be convinced of our identity all the time. It is OK if we have doubts about who we are sometimes – it’s part of being human, and it’s a reality in our Christian journey. The central issue is how we deal with the identity crisis.
Adam and Eve failed the temptation, because they chose to define themselves apart from God. And sin and death came into the world (Rom 5:12-14). Spiritually dead, they actually lost their true identity. Humanity has been in search of it ever since.
Jesus, on the contrary, rejected the offer, refused to prove himself by his own means, and chose to define himself in God. He did so by the Holy Spirit that dwelt in him (3:16), by the intimate communion with God through prayer (v2), and by relying on the unyielding truth conveyed by the word of God (v4,7,10). Humanity saw the dawn of God’s grace and mercy! It is now possible for humans to receive a true identity – identity in Christ, as a child of God.
How do you define yourself? Do you define yourself as a child of God, or by possessing power, fame, or wealth, as you try to prove who you are through your work, ministry, popularity,…?
Let’s pray,
Dear Lord, I struggle often as to how to define myself. The temptation to gain identity through my accomplishments is huge, even though I know that it is costing too much of my life, and it would be vain and meaningless in the end. Please keep me close to You all the time, remind me often of my priceless status as Your child redeemed by Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
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