--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The author compares the struggles of…" description: "\"“The author compares the struggles of Martin Luther with the prevailing doctrine that a little genuine effort on our part results in a disproportionate..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alister-e-mcgrath-11214_blind-man_the-author-compares-the-struggles-of-mar_2334083.jpg" --- # The author compares the struggles of Martin Luther with… ![“The author compares the struggles of Martin Luther with the prevailing doctrine that a little genuine effort on our part results in a disproportionate reward of God's righteousness with a blind man who would be given $1 million – if only he could see.” quote by Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alister-e-mcgrath-11214_blind-man_the-author-compares-the-struggles-of-mar_2334083.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alister-e-mcgrath-11214_blind-man_the-author-compares-the-struggles-of-mar_2334083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alister-e-mcgrath-11214_blind-man_the-author-compares-the-struggles-of-mar_2334083.jpg) > ““The author compares the struggles of Martin Luther with the prevailing doctrine that a little genuine effort on our part results in a disproportionate reward of God's righteousness with a blind man who would be given $1 million – if only he could see.”” [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comparing Luther's struggle to a blind man's hypothetical million-dollar reward illustrates how minimal effort is mistakenly believed to yield massive divine favor. **In simple terms:** Small effort is thought to bring huge spiritual reward. Key Takeaway Recognize that true spiritual growth requires sustained effort. Themes faith effort reward theology Mood reflective thoughtful Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - church service - ethical decision making - community outreach Key Concepts Grace justification faith effort Questions to Reflect On - How does effort relate to divine grace? - What realistic steps foster authentic faith? A Different Perspective The analogy oversimplifies complex theological concepts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification/) [Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness/) ## Related quotes > [“Martin Luther arrived at his earthshaking conclusions imbued with biblical exposition. As a professor, he taught the book of Psalms verse by verse from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/martin-luther-arrived-at-his-earthshaking-conclusions-imbued-with/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [“From the outset, Protestantism rejected the critical medieval distinction between the 'sacred' and 'secular' orders. While this position can easily be interpreted as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/from-the-outset-protestantism-rejected-the-critical-medieval/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [“There shall be a glorious reward to faithful ministers: to those who have been successful: Dan. xii. 3, “And they that be wise shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/there-shall-be-a-glorious-reward-to-faithful-ministers-to-those-who/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [I beg the Most High to allow me the favour of the double reward, but if God only finds me worthy of one reward,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-beg-the-most-high-to-allow-me-the-favour-of-the-double-reward-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [True happiness is not found in any other reward than that of being united with God. If I seek some other reward besides God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/true-happiness-is-not-found-in-any-other-reward-than-that-of-being/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Infinite striving to be the best is man's duty; It is its own reward. Everything else is in god's hands. It's not that I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/infinite-striving-to-be-the-best-is-man-s-duty-it-is-its-own-reward-2/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [He who forgiveth, and is reconciled unto his enemy, shall receive his reward from God; for he loveth not the unjust doers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-szasz/he-who-forgiveth-and-is-reconciled-unto-his-enemy-shall-receive-his/) [Thomas Szasz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-szasz/) > [Infinite striving to be the best is man's duty; it is its own reward. Everything else is in God's hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/infinite-striving-to-be-the-best-is-man-s-duty-it-is-its-own-reward/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Love works not for profit nor reward; yet God has ordained that great gain shall be the certain result of every labor of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/love-works-not-for-profit-nor-reward-yet-god-has-ordained-that-great/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [Usually when those people say those ugly words they are talking about something they dont like, for example when a small baby is born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/usually-when-those-people-say-those-ugly-words-they-are-talking-about/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [“I said to him one day that the very slender reward which God had attached to the pursuit of serious inquiry was a sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/i-said-to-him-one-day-that-the-very-slender-reward-which-god-had/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [I don't want a reward from God for taking in all the homeless people I have over the years. I just want him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-don-t-want-a-reward-from-god-for-taking-in-all-the-homeless-people/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [Now bring what we have into common stock, and communicate to everyone in need; we who hated and destroyed one another, and on account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/now-bring-what-we-have-into-common-stock-and-communicate-to-everyone/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [Among all the valuable things of this world, the word is the most precious. For in the word one can find a light which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/among-all-the-valuable-things-of-this-world-the-word-is-the-most/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-highest-reward-that-god-gives-us-for-good-work-is-the-ability-to/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## More by Alister E. McGrath > [The success of the Inklings also helps us to see criticism in a positive light. There are, unfortunately, people who boost their own sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/the-success-of-the-inklings-also-helps-us-to-see-criticism-in-a/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [“The medieval period based its scriptural exegesis upon the Vulgate translation of the Bible. There was no authorized version of this text, despite the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/the-medieval-period-based-its-scriptural-exegesis-upon-the-vulgate/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [“Lewis's mental map of reality had difficulty accommodating the trauma of the Great War. Like so many, he found the settled way of looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/lewis-s-mental-map-of-reality-had-difficulty-accommodating-the-trauma/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [Good does not triumph unless good people rise to the challenges around them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/good-does-not-triumph-unless-good-people-rise-to-the-challenges/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [Surely the better way is to pursue a generous orthodoxy, seeing disagreements in the context of the greater agreements which bind us together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/surely-the-better-way-is-to-pursue-a-generous-orthodoxy-seeing/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/rational-argument-does-not-create-belief-but-it-maintains-a-climate/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [We live on earth; our homeland is in heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/we-live-on-earth-our-homeland-is-in-heaven/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [The true believer is not someone who disengages from this world in order to focus on heaven, but rather the one who tries to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/the-true-believer-is-not-someone-who-disengages-from-this-world-in/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [“The rising influence of lay piety is particularly marked upon the Mariological controversies of the late medieval period. Two rival positions developed: the maculist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/the-rising-influence-of-lay-piety-is-particularly-marked-upon-the/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [“We are doomed to remain incomplete in our present existence. Our hopes and deepest longings will remain nothing but just that; Our hopes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/we-are-doomed-to-remain-incomplete-in-our-present-existence-our-hopes/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [We must not think that religious concerns swamped all other social activities. They simply provided a focal point for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/we-must-not-think-that-religious-concerns-swamped-all-other-social/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [To reenchant nature is not merely to gain a new perspective for its integrity and well-being; it is to throw open the doors to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/to-reenchant-nature-is-not-merely-to-gain-a-new-perspective-for-its/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [“For Lewis, Christianity doesn’t just make sense of things. It changes our stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/for-lewis-christianity-doesn-t-just-make-sense-of-things-it-changes/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [Hope is rooted in the trustworthiness of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/hope-is-rooted-in-the-trustworthiness-of-god/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [Suffering does not call into question the "big picture" of the Christian faith. It reminds us that we do not see the whole picture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/suffering-does-not-call-into-question-the-big-picture-of-the/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) [Explore all 61 Alister E. McGrath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) ## More Blind man quotes > [He looked at her... like a Blind Man seeing the Sun for the very First Time...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-looked-at-her-like-a-blind-man-seeing-the-sun-for-the-very-first/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And the blind man said to the deaf man, "Do you see what I hear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/and-the-blind-man-said-to-the-deaf-man-do-you-see-what-i-hear/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“People had always amazed him, he began. But they amazed him more since the sickness. For as long as the two of them had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/people-had-always-amazed-him-he-began-but-they-amazed-him-more-since/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [If my GoD is a DoG then I'm a Blind man because he's steal leading me to safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ntando-aka-punchlinelord/if-my-god-is-a-dog-then-i-m-a-blind-man-because-he-s-steal-leading-me/) Ntando Aka @PunchlineLord > [Ma'am," Augustus said, nodding toward her, "Your daughter's car has just been deservingly egged by a blind man. Please close the door and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/ma-am-augustus-said-nodding-toward-her-your-daughter-s-car-has-just/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Once, I sang colors to a blind man. Seven hours I played, but at the end he said he saw them, green and red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/once-i-sang-colors-to-a-blind-man-seven-hours-i-played-but-at-the-end/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [ “The object \[Duchamp's Fountain\] was rejected , giving Duchamp the opportunity of issuing a statement, which he published in a review, The Blind Man.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-weston/the-object-duchamp-s-fountain-was-rejected-giving-duchamp-the/) [Neville Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-weston/) > [A blind man can see his mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-blind-man-can-see-his-mouth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Then he picks up the first book and holds it so Peter can read the title. I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/then-he-picks-up-the-first-book-and-holds-it-so-peter-can-read-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Mostly, I straddle reality and the imagination. My reality needs imagination like a bulb needs a socket. My imagination needs reality like a blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/mostly-i-straddle-reality-and-the-imagination-my-reality-needs/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [A blind man walks into a bar...and a table...and a chair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-blind-man-walks-into-a-bar-and-a-table-and-a-chair/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What's the condition of America like, spiritually, tonight? Zero. Why? Because we've got blind men coming out of seminaries. Men there don't teach them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/what-s-the-condition-of-america-like-spiritually-tonight-zero-why/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [A new civilization is emerging in our lives, and blind men everywhere are trying to suppress it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/a-new-civilization-is-emerging-in-our-lives-and-blind-men-everywhere/) [Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/) > [If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit. 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