Trust is that rare and priceless treasure that wins us the affection of our heavenly Father.
There is the "you" that people see and then there is the "rest of you". Take some time and craft a picture of the "rest of you." This could be a drawing, in words, even a song. Just remember that the chances are good it will be full of paradox and contradictions.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the difference between one's public persona and the deeper, more complex self that lies beneath the surface.
Brennan Manning's quote invites individuals to explore the multifaceted nature of their identity, suggesting that while we present a certain image to the world, there is a richer, more intricate 'rest of us' that often remains hidden. By encouraging the expression of this inner self through creative means, Manning highlights the potential for self-discovery and acknowledges that this deeper self may be filled with contradictions and complexities that make us uniquely human.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal growth, you could use this quote to illustrate the importance of understanding oneself beyond societal expectations.
More from Brennan Manning
All quotes βThe sinners to whom Jesus directed His messianic ministry were not those who skipped morning devotions or Sunday church. His ministry was to those whom society considered real sinners. They had done nothing to merit salvation. Yet they opened themselves to the gift that was offered them. On the other hand, the self-righteous placed their trust in the works of the Law and closed their hearts to the message of grace.
Do you honestly believe God likes you, not just loves you because theologically God has to love you?
Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever.
For Ragamuffins, God's name is Mercy. We see our darkness as a prized possession because it drives us into the heart of God. Without mercy our darkness would plunge us into despair - for some, self-destruction. Time alone with God reveals the unfathomable depths of the poverty of the spirit. We are so poor that even our poverty is not our own: It belongs to the mysterium tremendum of a loving God.
In my experience, self-hatred is the dominant malaise crippling Christians and stifling their growth in the Holy Spirit.
Similar quotes
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He even knew the reason why: because enough men had gone off to war saying the time for gardening was when the war was over; whereas there must be men to stay behind and keep gardening alive, or at least the idea of gardening; because once that cord was broken, the earth would grow hard and forget her children. That was why.
... in practice the standard for what constitutes rape is set not at the level of women's experience of violation but just above the level of coercion acceptable to men.
America is not a country, it is a world.
We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come.
And there is the headlight, shining far down the track, glinting off the steel rails that, like all parallel lines, will meet in infinity, which is after all where this train is going.