The first act of love is always the giving of attention.
Dallas WillardRead
The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners – of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of true discipleship among Christians, highlighting the need to live according to the teachings of Jesus in all aspects of life.
Dallas Willard's quote urges those who identify as Christians to move beyond mere profession of faith and to actively engage as disciples of Jesus Christ. This means continuously learning and applying his teachings to all areas of life, thereby addressing the pressing issues of the world through the values of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Themes
DiscipleshipJesusKingdomLivingFaith
In practice
Example use cases
During a church sermon discussing personal growth in faith.
More from Dallas Willard
All quotes →So many people would like to have guidance from God because obviously, if you have a word from God, it's the best possible thing. But they don't relate that to life as a whole. Often they want guidance as a way of opting out of the responsibility of making decisions.
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What is truly profound is thought to be stupid and trivial, or worse, boring, while what is actually stupid and trivial is thought to be profound. That is what it means to fly upside down.
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The basic question 'will I obey Christ 's teaching?' is rarely taken as a serious issue. For example, to take one of Jesus' commands, that is relevant to contemporary life, I don't know of any church that actually teaches a church how to bless people who curse them, yet this is a clear command.
Dallas WillardRead
When I left home after graduating high school, I left as a migrant agricultural worker with a Modern Library edition of Plato in my duffel bag. It sounds kind of crazy, but I loved it. I loved the stuff. Before I knew there was a subject called philosophy, I loved it.
Dallas WillardRead
Few people arise in the morning as hungry for God as they are for cornflakes or toast and eggs.
Dallas WillardRead
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A slave is he who cannot speak his thoughts.
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