NBA Star Admits He Feels Unworthy But Follows God’s Calling Anyways

Published: December 24, 2025

By Mallory Mattingly

We all can probably relate to New York Knicks star Trey Jemison “not feeling worthy enough” for what God has called him to.

“At this point, I have made around 54 Bible study videos, and I was reflecting on it, ‘How many times have I really wanted to just stop making the Bible videos?’ To be honest with you, probably 54 times,” Jemison admitted on Instagram recently. “Not because I didn’t want to show out for God, not because I have a word, but because I didn’t feel worthy enough. I felt like a hypocrite. I thought, ‘Yo, I have all these flaws, all these mistakes. How can I get on this video and talk about Jesus and talk about the Word of God?'”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSjNcj1DM9B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Jemison then read Matthew 5:13-16, which says:

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

The Knicks center explained that through his “flaws” and “shortcomings,” he can shine God’s light. We all can do the same.

“But in my flaws, in my shortcomings, in my failures, is where people will see the human in me,” he refkected. “I’ve never wanted to say, ‘Hey, I got it all figured out. I’m all holy. I’m perfect. I’ve made my mistakes. I got enough sense to go around the world and back.'”

“But God has given me grace, so I sit in this position of doing Bible studies, not out of professing I’m Jesus or anything, but as if I’m a young man chasing God, trying to get closer to God,” he explained. “I just want to tell somebody who happened to listen, who is trying to start their faith walk, you don’t have to be perfect. There’s no part in Christianity where it says you have to be perfect. The goal is to be more like Christ. You’ll fall short each and every day. But the next goal is to get back up and keep on trying, because nobody’s perfect.”

This reminder echoes truth the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Let’s take Jemison’s reminder to heart and trust that God will use even our flaws for His glory.

Questions or comments? Please write to us here.