In the third temptation, the devil offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for one act of allegiance.  At first glance it seems like a temptation about power, but at its core it is about identity.  The offer invites Jesus to become a different kind of Messiah — one defined by dominance, visibility, and immediate success. It is a shortcut to influence, a chance to “be someone” without the slow, faithful work of love, service, and sacrifice.  But taking the deal would mean losing himself.  It would mean grounding his identity in power rather than in God.  It would mean becoming the kind of king the world expects, not the kind God calls him to be.

Jesus refuses because he knows who he is.  He doesn’t need the world’s approval or authority to validate his calling.  His mission flows from worship, not ambition.

“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”

With this, Jesus chooses integrity over influence, faithfulness over fame, and the cross over shortcuts.



When or where am I faced with a choice to base my worth on achievement or influence instead of the identity God has already given you as one who is beloved as I am, called to be all I am and live with compassion in the world?