undeservingness

She felt the fervor of admiration in the young man's attitude towards her, but she was painfully conscious of her undeservingness.

The Portion of Labor Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman 1891

High on the list of these was, for fairly obvious reasons, Martin Luther King whose earlier winning of the award was a source of both embarassment (because it highlighted Mr Obama's own relative undeservingness) and pride.

News » Julie Henry 2009

Ruskin's "gentleman" who has tears always in his eyes, in spite of the smile on his lips; she is not "quick to perceive the want" in the many lives, which are empty or crippled, though, perhaps, seemingly prosperous: things turn out well with her, and she deserves it, so the sight of her would bring home a sense of undeservingness to the less fortunate; she cannot speak so as to be "understanded of" them; she is not one of those who have learnt that "_avoir beaucoup souffert c'est comme ceux qui savent beaucoup de langues, avoir appris à tout comprendre, et à se fairs comprendre de tous_."

Stray Thoughts for Girls Lucy H. M. Soulsby