I am like a man so busy in letting rooms in one end of his house, that he can't stop to put out the fire that is burning the other.
Abraham LincolnRead
Men are not flattered by being shown that there has been a difference of purpose between the Almighty and them. To deny it, however, in this case, is to deny that there is a God governing the world. It is a truth which I thought needed to be told; and as whatever of humilation there is in it, falls most directly on myself, I thought others might afford for me to tell it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the relationship between humanity and divinity, suggesting that acknowledging humanity's flaws is crucial to understanding the role of a higher power.
Abraham Lincoln's quote delves into the complex interaction between humans and the divine. It suggests that while acknowledging our differences from the Almighty may be humbling, it is essential to recognize that such differences do not negate the existence of God, but rather affirm the complexity of human existence under His governance. Lincoln expresses a personal burden in revealing this truth, highlighting the vulnerability that comes with confronting our own shortcomings in light of a greater purpose.
Themes
HumanityDivinityTruthHumilityPurpose
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a philosophical discussion on the existence of God.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes →Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.
Abraham LincolnRead
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
Abraham LincolnRead
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
Abraham LincolnRead
For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country's cause. The highest merit, then is due to the soldier.
Abraham LincolnRead
And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
Abraham LincolnRead
Similar quotes
Moreover, from the time when He said, 'Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven;' and again, 'He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it; ' no one becomes a member of Christ except it be either by baptism in Christ, or death for Christ.
Saint AugustineRead
Yes I know my enemies. They're the teachers who taught me to fight me, compromise, conformity, assimilation, submission, ignorance, hypocrisy, brutality, the elite, all of which are American dreams.
Zack De La RochaRead
One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical, decisive one.
Ralph Waldo EmersonRead
If you have no wounds, how can you know if you're alive?
Edward AlbeeRead
The Bible is the proper book for men. There the truth is distinguished from error far more clearly than anywhere else, and one finds something new in it every day. For twenty-eight years, since I became a doctor, I have now constantly read and preached the Bible; and yet I have not exhausted it but find something new in it every day.
Martin LutherRead
The provisions of the Constitution are not mathematical formulas having their essence in their form; they are organic, living institutions transplanted from English soil. Their significance is vital, not formal; it is to be gathered not simply by taking the words and a dictionary, but by considering their origin and the line of their growth.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.Read