My late teens and early twenties are a time in my life that I'm not proud of. Character flaws of mine that had, up to that point, been minor were brought to the forefront by circumstance and were shown to be very serious character flaws. In short, I was an undisciplined, lazy pile of garbage. On my road to self-discipline one important crossroads came when I confessed to my Daddy that I was "not good enough" to do the things that I was called to do. He answered with the truth that few others would tell me. "You're right," he said. I was thinking clearly at that time, and he affirmed me in that. He didn't lie to me to make me feel better. He recognized what 2 Corinthians 7 calls "godly sorrow," the brokenness that leads to repentance.
Often we are told that we are not good enough. To the proud, that truth leads to anger, embarrassment, and damaged egos. But the humble man embraces the truth. The truth is a mirror to him, by which he is able to address his flaws. James 1:19-20 reminds us to be "quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." Verse 21 urges us to put aside our sin and "in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save [our] souls." Verses 22-25 teach us that the humble man accepts the truth and lives accordingly.
In my work as a teacher, More often than not, I encounter people who have been indoctrinated with the idea that they must be prideful and have the utmost confidence in themselves and their own abilities. Paul wrote in Philippians 3 that by human standards, he has more reason than anyone to put confidence in the flesh. Then he proclaims it all worthless, because of its inability to make him righteous. In verse 3 we are taught that we are to "put no confidence in the flesh." Then and only then can we say what Paul wrote in verse 17: "Brethren, join in following my example." Paul's assurance in his example came from the knowledge that it was not his example, but the Lord's that would be followed.
Today I stand in full assurance of faith on the Word of God, doing the very things that I was not, and still am not, good enough to do.