Good enough

Have you ever avoided something because you felt that you weren't good enough?  Avoided going to college or taking a particularly difficult class because you weren't smart enough, slathered on the makeup and sexy clothes because you weren't pretty enough, refused to enter a contest because you weren't talented enough?  Have you ever not spoken to someone about Jesus because you weren't a good enough public speaker, or declined an invitation to teach or preach because you weren't godly enough?

We've all done that.  We've all told ourselves, at one time in our lives or perhaps many times, that we're not _______ enough - fill in the blank with any positive adjective that applies.  But at the root of it all, is the feeling that we are not good enough, the feeling that we are in some way inadequate or deficient, and therefore unqualified to do big things for Christ.

This is one of the devil's most colossal lies of our time.  He has somehow convinced an entire generation that they are not good enough for God's kingdom, when God's word clearly says the opposite.  When God created man and woman in the garden of Eden, He said that it was "very good."  In Christ, you are more than enough, you are a conqueror - and God has equipped you to accomplish everything that He has called you to do.

Somehow we've gotten it into our heads that we have to be perfect before we can be used by God, that we have to have our lives together before we can serve His kingdom.  But by believing that, we have effectively neutralized our entire lives.  We will never have it all together - we will always be imperfect people in an imperfect world.

But God doesn't call us because we are particularly gifted, or talented, or intelligent, or articulate, or even godly.  He calls us because we are willing to be obedient and follow His lead.  God doesn't call the qualified.  He qualifies the called.  So whatever your insecurity may be, whatever lie the enemy has convinced you of - I'm not a good student, I'm not a good Christian, I'm not a good wife, I'm not a good father, I'm not a good cook, I'm not a good friend - whatever the lie may be, lay it down at the feet of Jesus.  The only thing you need to be good enough is a new birth and life in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:10-16

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

Ignorance

I had quite a conversation with a woman in the hair salon the other day.  I do not even know her name - had never even seen her before in my life, actually.  But we were both captive audiences - I was getting my hair cut and she was waiting for me to finish, and so we started chatting.

We quickly got past the usual expected pleasantries.  But then I mentioned to her that I was living in South Korea for a year.  And that's when the questions started.  "Aren't you worried about getting kidnapped?"  "Have you ever had someone try to put drugs in your suitcases?"  "How could you travel to Asia all by yourself?"  "What if North Korea attacks South Korea?"  "How can you eat their food over there?  It's barely even edible!"  "Do they have houses over there?"

And so on it went.  Within 15 minutes, I was more than slightly annoyed.  The fact of the matter is that I was talking with pure ignorance....and honestly, it upset me.  The crime rate in Korea is far lower than in America, North and South Korea are not anywhere near on the brink of war, the majority of the food is wonderful (and all of it is incredibly healthy!), and South Korea is now a first-world nation - one of the largest economies in the world, in fact.  The fact that this woman could be so convinced of so much that was so wrong just blew me away.  It was quite upsetting.

But then my thoughts turned introspective, and I began to think of my own mode of thinking.  So often I am in danger of letting my pride get in my way, of convincing myself that my extensive traveling and other experiences during college and beyond have given me more wisdom, made me less ignorant, than those around me.  I put myself on a pedestal, assuring myself that in my worldly wisdom I'm such a better position than others.

But God's way are not ours.  His definitions of ignorance and wisdom are not the same as mine.  They may very easily, in fact, be the exact opposite of the definitions found in the world.  Something to think about the next time you let your pride convince you of your wisdom.

1 Corinthians 3:18-20

18 Do not deceive yourselves.  If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become "fools" so that you may become wise.  19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight.  As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20 and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."