The majority of my teaching in Asia has been with adults. Many had not been in a formal classroom setting in years, if ever. Too many had only negative memories of language study and few had experienced using English in an enjoyable or beneficial situation. While most had notebooks full of vocabulary lists and grammar examples, they all had one common need: confidence. To use Webster’s definition negatively, they had no “appreciation of their own abilities or qualities” when it came to using, namely speaking, this foreign language. They proudly share about their children who are much more confident than they are after only a year of study. 

How do I build them up? Give them that confidence?  

I can repeatedly share what my first Chinese teacher told me. “It’s just knowledge in your head until you use it. You’ll always wonder if you know enough. After you successfully buy that bag of apples or share the bus schedule or give directions in the target language with total strangers you’ll know. Know that you knew enough to do that and want to move on. That’s confidence.” But as any teacher or learner knows; there’s no method or pep talk that guarantees assurance or success. Differences in ability, motivation, health, and age abound. 

For the follower of Jesus confidence is not connected to one’s own qualities or abilities. Proverbs states “the Lord will be your confidence” and Jeremiah writes, “blessed is the one whose confidence is in Him.” The writer of Proverbs would shock most ears today if they heard his words, “whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool.” Jesus told His disciples, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” 

Webster has another addition to his confidence definition; “to be certain about the truth of something.” And about what can we have confidence to be true?  

Fear of the Lord brings confidence.  

We can do all things through our God.  

We have confidence in coming to Him 

He will never leave us nor forsake us.  

He will give us strength.   

Daily, wherever we are, may we find our confidence in Him.