“Who am I?”
Many people struggle with this question and give in to insecurity—feeling uneasy about who we are.
Insecurity is the root cause of many issues such as arrogance, self-hatred, and fear of commitment. Not feeling comfortable with who we are paves the way for people-pleasing, an unhealthy concern for others’ opinions.
The need to prove oneself is especially toxic because there is no end to competition. There will always be people who are more skilled or successful in certain areas than we are. This performance-based acceptance can lead to feeling as if “doing well” is not enough and that we must do better than others to feel satisfied.
Jesus’ Example
Perhaps one of the greatest things Yeshua models for us is that He truly knows who He is. Not only did the Messiah have a perfect grasp of His identity, but He was fully empowered by the Holy Spirit to live His life based on who He was rather who others thought He should be.
Yeshua felt no need to prove Himself, impress others, or people-please. He did not change His message under pressure. He did not misrepresent Himself or pretend to be someone else.
Jesus’ Temptation
One example among many is how Yeshua handled the devil’s temptation in Luke chapter four. After Yeshua had spent forty days praying and fasting in the wilderness, Satan challenged Him to reveal who He was prematurely. The word “if” in Satan’s statements is key. He questioned Jesus’ identity. The first challenge he issued: “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread” (Luke 4:3).
Beginning this statement with “if” implied that if Jesus did not perform the miracle Satan demanded, then He would not really be the Son of God. This challenge was not simply about the physical need for food—the devil was tempting Jesus to prove Himself, to display His glory before the time was right.
When someone questions our identity or abilities, we so often give in to vain attempts to prove ourselves. We earn degrees, pursue careers, and “climb the corporate ladder” to achieve what is considered success.
Jesus, however, was not phased when Satan challenged Him. He knew who He was and what God demanded. He responded to the devil with a quote from Deuteronomy: “man shall not live on bread alone” (Luke 4:4, see also Deut 8:3). Jesus trusted in His Father, waiting until the time was right for Him to reveal Himself as the Messiah.
Jesus at the Synagogue in Nazareth
Later in the same chapter, Yeshua read from the book of Isaiah and taught in the synagogue in Nazareth, His hometown. He mentioned that the people expected Him to perform miracles, like those they had heard Him do in Capernaum. As Yeshua often does, however, He shattered expectations.
To explain why He did not do the wonders expected by the people of Nazareth, He pointed to the Hebrew Scriptures. He compared Himself to Elijah and Elisha, two prophets known for doing miracles.
They did not heal everyone in Israel but only specific individuals to whom God led them. What is more, the two healings Yeshua highlighted were of foreigners. One might expect an Israelite prophet to be concerned primarily (if not only) with Israelite problems.
The Lord, however, used the prophets to heal those one would not expect: a widow and a Syrian official. The principle Yeshua applied to His hearers is that God will do what He wishes and that His will often falls outside our expectations. The congregation in Nazareth grew so angry at Yeshua’s words that they tried to throw Him off a cliff (Luke 4:29).
Peter’s Expectations of Jesus
Even those who believed in Jesus often had expectations that were quite different from His own. In Matthew 16:16, Peter boldly declared that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus confirmed this belief and said that, as part of His messianic calling, He must suffer and die. Shocked, Peter rebuked Him: “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You” (Matt 16:22).
Yeshua’s response is striking: “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s” (Matt 6:23).
Many of us struggle with Yeshua’s words here because they are so extreme. Suffering, death, and resurrection were an integral part of the Messiah’s purpose, as the Hebrew Scriptures said (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22; Daniel 9:25). Peter’s misconception, however genuine, was more than a minor distortion.
Yeshua’s emphasis on suffering was not what Peter or many other Jewish people were expecting of the Messiah. Yet Yeshua did not waver in doing what God told Him to do in His timing. The Hebrew Scriptures tell us that the Messiah will vindicate Israel and bring peace to the world, but first He would lay down His life to atone for sin.
Yeshua’s followers wanted to bring in this messianic kingdom immediately, but Yeshua trusted in God’s timing. Yeshua consistently stood on what God’s Word said. His obedience to the Father trumped what anyone might expect or ask of Him. He followed God’s will without hindrance.
Practical Steps
Living authentically the way Yeshua did may seem like an impossible task. Yeshua is God, but He is also a human being, and He models what godly human life looks like. While there are no quick fixes for insecurity, certain practices can help us focus more on what God says and desires for us. As we grow less concerned about people-pleasing, we will be free to live a life that puts God first.
Most importantly, those who trust in Yeshua have the Holy Spirit living in them and are being conformed to His image (Romans 8:29). Yeshua is not only our example—He is the power present within us.
Meditate on Scripture
In addition to the passages discussed above, here are some verses to ponder if you are struggling with insecurity:
- “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:26–27).
- “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b).
- “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:14).
- “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
- “Therefore we have been buried with Him [Jesus] through baptism into death, so that as Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
There are times for all of us when we feel the need to prove ourselves to others. Sometimes it is warranted. For example, when we apply for a job or an educational program, we may need to demonstrate our skills or other qualifications before receiving an offer of employment or a letter of acceptance.
However, at those times, we may also be tempted to misrepresent our accomplishments to impress someone or ensure our acceptance. The same temptation may also arise when we feel small compared to others, and we want to make ourselves out to be more important or significant.
Yeshua was often made to feel less-than, His authority always being challenged, and His identity either challenged or rejected outright. Yet, He consistently put God’s call first, relying on the truth of His Father’s promises rather than the opinions of the world. In light of Yeshua’s behavior, we can respond differently when tempted to overstate ourselves or even to compare ourselves to others.
Compare Biblical and Worldly Values
This exercise is designed to reveal how different God’s perspective is from the world’s and help free us from unrealistic expectations. Make a list comparing how God wants us to live with what society sees as “the good life.” Here are a few examples:
| Biblical Values | Worldly Values |
| Trust in God (Psalm 62:8). | Trust yourself. |
| Love God above all else (Deuteronomy 6:5), and love people (Leviticus 19:18). | Your success is measured by your income or possessions. |
| Your worth is infinite because you were made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). | Your worth is in what you provide for society. |
Overcoming insecurity might be a long journey, but we are not alone.
Jesus sets the example for putting God first and not giving in to people-pleasing. When we abide in Him, His pattern becomes our own and frees us to live lives of joyful trust in the Lord. What is more—the risen Messiah is always with those who believe in Him, and He is making us more like Himself day by day.
