Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.
Martin LutherRead
Man is man because he is free to operate within a framework of his destiny. He is free to deliberate, to make decisions, and to choose between alternatives. He is distinguished from animals by his freedom to do evil or to do good and to walk the high road of beauty or tread the low road of ugly degeneracy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Freedom to make choices defines humanity and distinguishes us from animals.
This quote by Martin Luther emphasizes the fundamental aspect of human existence—freedom. It suggests that what truly differentiates humans from animals is our ability to deliberate, make moral decisions, and choose between various paths in life. This capacity for choice entails both the potential for good and evil, as well as the pursuit of beauty versus the allure of degeneracy, reflecting the complexities of human nature and the weight of our decisions.
Themes
FreedomChoicesHumanityMoral DecisionsDestiny
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on ethics, you could use this quote to illustrate the importance of moral choice.
More from Martin Luther
All quotes →Now if I believe in God's Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. ...God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.
Martin LutherRead
It is the part of a Christian to take care of his own body for the very purpose that, by its soundness and wellbeing, he may be enabled to labour, and to acquire and preserve property, for the aid of those who are in want, that thus the stronger member may serve the weaker member, and we may be children of God, and busy for one another, bearing one another's burdens, and so fulfiling the law of Christ.
Martin LutherRead
Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but more frequently than not struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God.
Martin LutherRead
We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands.
Martin LutherRead
In a mouse we admire God's creation and craft work. The same may be said about flies.
Martin LutherRead
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