Quotes about Humanity

Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.

Every congregation is a congregation of sinners. As if that weren't bad enough, they all have sinners for pastors.

One of the first things that strikes us about the men and women in Scripture is that they were disappointingly non- heroic. We do not find splendid moral examples. We do not find impeccably virtuous models. That always comes as a shock to newcomers to Scripture: Abraham lied; Jacob cheated; Moses murdered and complained; David committed adultery; Peter blasphemed.

We do not become less needy, less dependent when we pray; we become more needy, more dependent, which is to say, more human.

Treating souls for whom Christ died as numbers or projects or resources seemed to me something like a sin against the Holy Spirit.

Love is the most characteristic and comprehensive act of the human being. We are most ourselves when we love; we are most the People of God when we love. But love is not an abstract word defined out of a dictionary. In order to love maturely we have to live and absorb and enter into this world of salvation and freedom, find ourselves in the stories, become familiar with and follow the signposts, learn the life of worship, and realize our unique identity as the People of God who love.

The people of Birmingham also have souls.

I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never — I promise — regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.

Authentic worship means being present to the living God who penetrates the whole of human life. The proclamation of God's word and our response to God's Spirit touches everything that is involved in being human: mind and body, thinking and feeling, work and family, friends and government, buildings and flowers.

We are most ourselves when we love; we are most the People of God when we love.

No matter if we come home with the Olympic gold or make a million dollars or pioneer the exploration of space or move the world with some artistic performance or discover the cure to cancer—if we do not love, it is not satisfactory. No matter if we are responsible and work hard and do our jobs well and stay out of trouble and are respected, if we do not love, then somehow we have failed. If we live but do not love, we miss it.

The Son of God suffered unto the death, not that men might not suffer, but that their sufferings might be like His.