--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we are known mostly for our ability to…" description: "\"“If we are known mostly for our ability to poke holes in every human project, we will probably not be known as people who bear the hope and mercy of Go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/andy-crouch-15704_compassion_if-we-are-known-mostly-for-our-ability-t_1414370.jpg" --- # If we are known mostly for our ability to poke holes in… ![“If we are known mostly for our ability to poke holes in every human project, we will probably not be known as people who bear the hope and mercy of God.” quote by Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/andy-crouch-15704_compassion_if-we-are-known-mostly-for-our-ability-t_1414370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/andy-crouch-15704_compassion_if-we-are-known-mostly-for-our-ability-t_1414370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/andy-crouch-15704_compassion_if-we-are-known-mostly-for-our-ability-t_1414370.jpg) > ““If we are known mostly for our ability to poke holes in every human project, we will probably not be known as people who bear the hope and mercy of God.”” [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critiques that focus only on flaws miss the larger purpose of hope and mercy in life. **In simple terms:** Only seeing flaws ignores hope and mercy. Key Takeaway Balance criticism with compassion. Themes criticism hope mercy purpose humility Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - counseling - community building - public speaking Key Concepts theology ethics human nature Questions to Reflect On - How can you acknowledge flaws while also offering hope? - What role does mercy play in your work? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on fault-finding can erode trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Mercy of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [As for restitutions, to nobody in particular do I owe any, but as for those I owe to the realm, I hope in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-xiv/as-for-restitutions-to-nobody-in-particular-do-i-owe-any-but-as-for/) [Louis XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-xiv/) > [Choose your enemies carefully: you'll probably be known much better and far longer for who they were, than for anything else you ever managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/choose-your-enemies-carefully-you-ll-probably-be-known-much-better/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [“As far as the welfare of every other living form on earth was concerned, the human project was not just a failure, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/as-far-as-the-welfare-of-every-other-living-form-on-earth-was/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Try as I do to comprehend the human project and my part in it, I am further than ever from understanding the monstrous everyday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/try-as-i-do-to-comprehend-the-human-project-and-my-part-in-it-i-am/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [Serve God, and God will take care of you. Submit to His will, trust in His grace, and resign yourself into His hands with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardiner-spring/serve-god-and-god-will-take-care-of-you-submit-to-his-will-trust-in/) [Gardiner Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardiner-spring/) > [If I saw the gates of hell open and I stood on the brink of the abyss, I would not despair; I would not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-galgani/if-i-saw-the-gates-of-hell-open-and-i-stood-on-the-brink-of-the-abyss/) [Gemma Galgani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-galgani/) > [Never lose hope in the Mercy of the Almighty, as He knows when it is best for us to get what we want, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-lose-hope-in-the-mercy-of-the-almighty-as-he-knows-when-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When I am told God became man, I can follow the idea, but I just do not understand what it means. For what man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-h-bainton/when-i-am-told-god-became-man-i-can-follow-the-idea-but-i-just-do-not/) [Roland H. Bainton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-h-bainton/) > [“Confess your sins, worship God, and get on with your life. You can experience the mercy of God no matter what you’ve been through.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-mcgee/confess-your-sins-worship-god-and-get-on-with-your-life-you-can/) [Robert S. McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-mcgee/) > [“As we meditate on the undeserved mercy of God in forgiving our sins, we will freely grant forgiveness and kindness to our husbands and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mahaney/as-we-meditate-on-the-undeserved-mercy-of-god-in-forgiving-our-sins/) [Carolyn Mahaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mahaney/) > [It is highly convenient to believe in the infinite mercy of God when you feel the need of mercy, but remember also his infinite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/it-is-highly-convenient-to-believe-in-the-infinite-mercy-of-god-when/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [“Humility teaches us that God is actively redeeming the world. And because He is, we can experience the relief of confessing our brokenness—whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-anderson/humility-teaches-us-that-god-is-actively-redeeming-the-world-and/) [Hannah Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-anderson/) > [But all the wickedness in the world which man may do or think is no more to the mercy of God than a live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-langland/but-all-the-wickedness-in-the-world-which-man-may-do-or-think-is-no/) [William Langland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-langland/) > [“So it falls out that in this world, in evil days like these, the Church walks onward like a wayfarer stricken by the world's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/so-it-falls-out-that-in-this-world-in-evil-days-like-these-the-church/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“The mercy of God's grace guides me in the right path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-mercy-of-god-s-grace-guides-me-in-the-right-path/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by Andy Crouch > [“There is perhaps no single thing that could better help us recover Jesus’ lordship in our frantic, power-hungry world than to allow him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/there-is-perhaps-no-single-thing-that-could-better-help-us-recover/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“I am also practicing cello to wean myself from power and accomplishment, to place myself back in the posture of a learner, cultivator, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/i-am-also-practicing-cello-to-wean-myself-from-power-and/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“True greatness and true power is faithful all the way down, including humbly quick to admit limitedness, sin and brokenness, and to ask for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/true-greatness-and-true-power-is-faithful-all-the-way-down-including/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“Stewardship means to consciously take up our cultural power, investing it intentionally among the seemingly powerless, putting our power at their disposal to enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/stewardship-means-to-consciously-take-up-our-cultural-power-investing/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“The right question is whether, when we undertake the work we believe to be our vocation, we experience the joy and humility that come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/the-right-question-is-whether-when-we-undertake-the-work-we-believe/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“How many times have I been put at the front of the line without even knowing there was a line? How many times have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/how-many-times-have-i-been-put-at-the-front-of-the-line-without-even/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“Grace is not an exemption from failure. It is, however, what makes it possible to sustain hope in the midst of failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/grace-is-not-an-exemption-from-failure-it-is-however-what-makes-it/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“What was missing, I've come to believe, were the two postures that are most characteristically biblical -- the two postures that have been least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/what-was-missing-i-ve-come-to-believe-were-the-two-postures-that-are/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“If there is a constructive way forward for Christians in the midst of our broken but also beautiful cultures, it will require us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/if-there-is-a-constructive-way-forward-for-christians-in-the-midst-of/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“Grace is not a shortcut around our effort; it is the divine blessing on efforts that are undertaken in dependence and trust on God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/grace-is-not-a-shortcut-around-our-effort-it-is-the-divine-blessing/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“A sabbathless life ends up with neither true work nor true rest, but with frantic and ineffective activity punctuated by couch-potato lethargy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/a-sabbathless-life-ends-up-with-neither-true-work-nor-true-rest-but/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“So the best defense against porn, for every member of our family, is a full life--the kind of life that technology cannot provide on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/so-the-best-defense-against-porn-for-every-member-of-our-family-is-a/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“if the work of creating consistently leaves us depressed or drained, it is likely that we have somehow missed the path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/if-the-work-of-creating-consistently-leaves-us-depressed-or-drained/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“I rarely feel such clear signs of fatigue and anxiety on days that are filled with travel, meetings and assignments—only when I stop to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/i-rarely-feel-such-clear-signs-of-fatigue-and-anxiety-on-days-that/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“The home is the place where worship of the true God starts: the place where we remember and recite God’s Word, and where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/the-home-is-the-place-where-worship-of-the-true-god-starts-the-place/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) [Explore all 42 Andy Crouch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) Segun Magbagbeola > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. 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