Jesus again was tested in the wilderness, and Satan challenged Jesus’ scripture-based rebuttal with a passage quote of his own:

Satan: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down [from this pinnacle], for it is written ‘He shall give His angels charge over you’ and ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus: “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”  – Matthew 4:6-7 NKJV

The temptation to grab control was hidden within the taunt. You can sense the sneering sarcasm as if he was saying, “Ok, you want to reference scripture; how about the one promising God’s protection? You’re supposed to be the Son of God, so prove it!”

There was no question God was watching over Jesus. Only a few weeks earlier, the Father had audibly endorsed Him while coming up from baptism. However, at this early stage, there were no crowds or dinner invitations yet, only wilderness. So why not start things off with a “bang”? After all, the message was supremely important, wouldn’t a little side-show action be good to generate some interest? No, Jesus was secure in who He was, and God was working a better plan to authenticate His Son; resurrection from the dead.

Are you secure with who you are in Christ? There’s nothing to prove to others, except authenticity; and that means living faithfully and sharing the truth as best you can.