“Who Are You, Really?”

Subtitle: Building Identity That Lasts

1. Opening – Let’s Be Honest (1 min)

Let me start with a question we don’t ask often enough: Who are you—really—when the job title is gone? When the applause stops? When the performance drops? When you’re not winning?

Most of us are taught, directly or indirectly, that our value is tied to what we do. That our worth is measured by what we produce, how successful we are, or how others perceive us.

But if that’s all our identity is—then it only holds as long as we keep performing.

That’s not just exhausting—that’s dangerous.

2. What the World Says (1.5 min)

“You are what you do.” That’s the message most of us grow up hearing, especially in high-performance environments.

You are your title.

You are your productivity.

You are your image.

So what happens when:

The project fails?

Someone else gets promoted?

You mess up?

Or worse—life slows down?

If your identity is based on achievement, then every failure feels personal. Not "I failed," but "I am a failure."

That’s a heavy way to live—and it creates insecurity. Because no amount of success will ever feel like enough.

3. What God Says About You (2 min)

Here’s the good news: God says something different. He doesn’t tie your identity to your output.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Notice what comes first. Not the “good works.” The identity: God’s workmanship. That means you’re handcrafted. Designed. Intentional. Valuable before you ever accomplished a thing.

And Scripture backs this up in multiple places:

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” → Translation: You were loved before you were impressive.

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession…” → Not overlooked. Chosen. Valuable.

2 Timothy 1:7 “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” → You are not weak or forgotten. You are equipped.

So instead of working for worth, we work fromidentity.

4. Identity Changes How You Lead (2 min)

When you’re rooted in who God says you are, everything shifts.

You don’t lead from ego—you lead with confidence. → You’re not proving yourself; you’re serving others.

You’re not threatened by other people’s success—you can celebrate them. → Because their win doesn’t threaten your worth.

You don’t panic under pressure—you stay grounded. → You know your identity isn’t on the line.

Jesus told a story about this exact mindset.

Matthew 7:24–27 “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came… but it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But the foolish man built on sand… and it fell with a great crash.”

Performance is sand. Applause is sand. Image is sand.

The rock? It’s the truth of who you are in God—unchanging, stable, secure.

5. Real-World Application (2 min)

So what does this mean at work?

It means you can:

Admit when you’re wrong without shame.

Give credit freely without fear.

Lead with integrity even when no one’s watching.

Set boundaries without guilt.

Say “I don’t know” and still be respected.

Because your value is not up for debate. It’s already settled.

Here are a few questions worth asking yourself:

What do I believe makes me valuable?

Do I feel like I have to constantly prove myself?

What happens to my identity when things don’t go my way?

If you feel shaken every time something external shifts—maybe your foundation needs a reset.

6. Closing Thought (1.5 min)

Here’s the truth:

Your role can change. Your business card can change. Your performance may go up and down.

But who you are in Christ doesn’t change.

So build your identity on what lasts. Not your title. Not your wins. Build it on the one thing that can’t be taken from you—God’s word over your life.

Because when you know who you are, you don’t need to chase approval. You don’t need to pretend. You just lead well… live well… and stay grounded.