"Due to our lack of complete trust in God's revelation that we are made in the divine image and likeness, most of us get caught up trying to be extra-ordinary. We become insecure and are tempted to rest our sense of self on something less than God's love for us. As a result, we waste our energy worrying about whether we are liked, respected, effective, or as good as other people.
"We certainly can learn from Jesus' example in this regard. In contrast to our concern with what other people think of us, Jesus did not compare himself to others. We cannot find a single instance in the New Testament where he clung to his divinity. He wasn't obsessed with his image, as we so often are with ours. Instead, he was only concerned with: (1) trying to be who he was called to be (obedience); (2) being in solidarity with others (community); (3) doing everything in the right Spirit (love). This is only possible for us when we, like Jesus, (1) feel deeply loved by God; (2) see the essential value and challenge of 'simply' being ourselves; (3) resist the temptation to create a false image of ourselves. Both our anxieties and the values of our society can seduce us into trying to develop, or hold onto, another image of self-even if it be a seemingly desirable or good one."
