--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It often seems as though the silent…" description: "\"It often seems as though the silent, humble servant is secretly wiser and more discerning than the haughty master; yet through dutiful (and sometimes i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/criss-jami-320_discerning_it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humb_2606630.jpg" --- # It often seems as though the silent, humble servant is… ![“It often seems as though the silent, humble servant is secretly wiser and more discerning than the haughty master; yet through dutiful (and sometimes insecure) surrender he continues to serve and carry out petty orders in loyal acquiesce.” quote by Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/criss-jami-320_discerning_it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humb_2606630.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/criss-jami-320_discerning_it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humb_2606630.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/criss-jami-320_discerning_it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humb_2606630.jpg) > “It often seems as though the silent, humble servant is secretly wiser and more discerning than the haughty master; yet through dutiful (and sometimes insecure) surrender he continues to serve and carry out petty orders in loyal acquiesce.” [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Quiet servants often possess hidden wisdom, yet obediently follow flawed orders. **In simple terms:** Quiet people may be wiser but still obey. Key Takeaway Question authority and value insight. Themes power humility wisdom Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical social When to use this quote - workplace dynamics - family hierarchies - political systems Key Concepts sociology ethics Questions to Reflect On - When should you obey versus resist? - How to recognize hidden wisdom? A Different Perspective Obedience can protect personal safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discerning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discerning/) [Haughty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haughty/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Humble Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble-servant-813987/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Insecure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insecure/) [Insecure Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insecure-surrender-1992094/) [Loyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyal/) [Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petty/) [Secretly Wiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secretly-wiser-1992093/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) [Servant Secretly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant-secretly-1992091/) [Silent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silent/) [Silent Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silent-humble-1992092/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) [Wiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wiser/) ## Related quotes > [“Just be silent, humble and teachable. If you ever think you know it all, that is the beginning of your troubles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/just-be-silent-humble-and-teachable-if-you-ever-think-you-know-it-all/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“No construct on earth will stand, that does not stand for the least among them, as their advocate and humble servant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/no-construct-on-earth-will-stand-that-does-not-stand-for-the-least/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Sometimes,” Father Dibue said, “though everything is in the Lord’s Hands, undoubtedly, there’s the urgent need to administer the Holy Sacrament of the Last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/sometimes-father-dibue-said-though-everything-is-in-the-lord-s-hands/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-stand-here-before-you-not-as-a-prophet-but-as-a-humble-servant-of/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I remain God's humble servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-cain/i-remain-god-s-humble-servant/) [Jonathan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-cain/) > [“Ayahuasca can heal, but it an also be used to kill,' Carlos continues to translate for Juan... The key is remaining humble, being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rak-razam/ayahuasca-can-heal-but-it-an-also-be-used-to-kill-carlos-continues-to/) [Rak Razam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rak-razam/) > [I have never imagined being or wished to be chosen as something important in the world. I have always tried to be a humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/i-have-never-imagined-being-or-wished-to-be-chosen-as-something/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Good manners, to those one does not love, are no more a breach of truth, than "your humble servant," at the bottom of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/good-manners-to-those-one-does-not-love-are-no-more-a-breach-of-truth/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [We don't have to become big scholars, we don't have to become big supermen. We simply have to become a humble servant of Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhakti-charu-swami/we-don-t-have-to-become-big-scholars-we-don-t-have-to-become-big/) [Bhakti Charu Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhakti-charu-swami/) > [Jesus arrived just like He died. Praise to our humble servant-King!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jesus-arrived-just-like-he-died-praise-to-our-humble-servant-king/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You will find me standing up to my rack, as the people's faithful representative, and the public's most obedient, very humble servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davy-crockett/you-will-find-me-standing-up-to-my-rack-as-the-people-s-faithful/) [Davy Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davy-crockett/) > [I have always tried to be a humble servant of God and a humble member of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/i-have-always-tried-to-be-a-humble-servant-of-god-and-a-humble-member/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [I do believe, with all my heart and mind and spirit, that I, not as President but as a humble servant of God, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/i-do-believe-with-all-my-heart-and-mind-and-spirit-that-i-not-as/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [He is indeed the 'Lamb.' There is nothing harsh or haughty or retaliative about Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sidlow-baxter/he-is-indeed-the-lamb-there-is-nothing-harsh-or-haughty-or/) [J. Sidlow Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sidlow-baxter/) > [“A session of boasting won't attract any real friends.  It will set you up on a pedestal, however, making you a clearer target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-session-of-boasting-won-t-attract-any-real-friends-it-will-set-you/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) ## More by Criss Jami > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/religion-like-science-is-only-noteworthy-when-it-emphasizes-a-matter/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Slander does to a soul what cancer does to a cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/slander-does-to-a-soul-what-cancer-does-to-a-cell/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The hated man is the result of his hater's pride rather than his hater's conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-hated-man-is-the-result-of-his-hater-s-pride-rather-than-his/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [What is a genius? A person who demands little to nothing from others, but is often found extremely difficult to have around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-is-a-genius-a-person-who-demands-little-to-nothing-from-others/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [A man does not have to feel less than human to realize his sin; oppositely, he has to realize that he gets no special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/a-man-does-not-have-to-feel-less-than-human-to-realize-his-sin/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I would rather my descendants have greater abilities and a greater knowledge of the love of Christ than I do, much like standing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-would-rather-my-descendants-have-greater-abilities-and-a-greater/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/peace-is-more-of-an-internal-settlement-rather-than-what-is-visible/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Our entire lives we witness individuals, the ones who break some of the most culturally sensitive moral codes, ruined permanently by the media -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/our-entire-lives-we-witness-individuals-the-ones-who-break-some-of/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Senses of humor define people, as factions, deeper rooted than religious or political opinions. When carrying out everyday tasks, opinions are rather easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/senses-of-humor-define-people-as-factions-deeper-rooted-than/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I believe in evolution in the sense that a short-tempered man is the successor of a crybaby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-believe-in-evolution-in-the-sense-that-a-short-tempered-man-is-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“God speaks of his children shining best in ways that only he can provide. The heavens lift one as a golden child while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/god-speaks-of-his-children-shining-best-in-ways-that-only-he-can/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [It is never just disagreement but always intellectual dishonesty that is the apologist's worst enemy. And its apprentice is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-never-just-disagreement-but-always-intellectual-dishonesty-that/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Always work towards a dream or you'll always dream of working elsewhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/always-work-towards-a-dream-or-you-ll-always-dream-of-working/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) [Explore all 684 Criss Jami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## More Discerning quotes > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [There are certain times you rattle the press's cages, and other times you don't, and you have to be discerning about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-fleischer/there-are-certain-times-you-rattle-the-press-s-cages-and-other-times/) [Ari Fleischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-fleischer/) > [Political journalists love graduate student intelligence, the ability to make clever allusions in seminars, and in 1999-2000 they hassled George W. Bush for not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/political-journalists-love-graduate-student-intelligence-the-ability/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [When we have an inner initiation into pure love, we are in contact with our true nature. Judgment of ourselves and others disappears. Compassionate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/when-we-have-an-inner-initiation-into-pure-love-we-are-in-contact/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [If you feel a great loneliness and a deep longing for human contact, you have to be extremely discerning...and ask yourself whether this situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/if-you-feel-a-great-loneliness-and-a-deep-longing-for-human-contact/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/he-who-knows-other-men-is-discerning-he-who-knows-himself-is/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [My first job with a network was 'General Hospital,' and that was ABC. I feel like I have so much history with them, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-ray-newman/my-first-job-with-a-network-was-general-hospital-and-that-was-abc-i/) [Jaime Ray Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-ray-newman/) > [If I were to offer any advice to young writers, it would be this: be discriminating and be discerning about the work you set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-l-pez/if-i-were-to-offer-any-advice-to-young-writers-it-would-be-this-be/) [Barry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-l-pez/) > [A discerning man, when he eats grapes, takes only the ripe ones and leaves the sour. Thus also the discerning mind carefully marks the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/a-discerning-man-when-he-eats-grapes-takes-only-the-ripe-ones-and/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > ['The Observer's Very Short List' is another example of how the Observer Media Group offers its readers the most cutting-edge information, available in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-kushner/the-observer-s-very-short-list-is-another-example-of-how-the-observer/) [Jared Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-kushner/) > [“Not every good idea is God's perfect will for you; it may need discerning, wisdom and experience to tell the difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-lucas-d-shallua/not-every-good-idea-is-god-s-perfect-will-for-you-it-may-need/) [Dr. Lucas D. Shallua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-lucas-d-shallua/) > [We are all responsible to Jesus first, and then, under him, to various other persons and offices. Discerning the path of love and obedience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/we-are-all-responsible-to-jesus-first-and-then-under-him-to-various/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [A passion for continual learning, a refined, discerning ear for the moral and ethical consequences of their actions, and an understanding of the purposes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/a-passion-for-continual-learning-a-refined-discerning-ear-for-the/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [The world of counterterrorism is like that old jigsaw puzzle in the back of the closet: Its many missing pieces and extra parts jumbled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-l-haney/the-world-of-counterterrorism-is-like-that-old-jigsaw-puzzle-in-the/) [Eric L. Haney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-l-haney/) [Browse all 140 Discerning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discerning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It often seems as though the silent, humble servant is secretly wiser and more discerning than the haughty master; yet through dutiful (and sometimes insecure) surrender he continues to serve and carry out petty orders in loyal acquiesce.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Criss Jami" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humble-servant-is-secretly-wiser/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Discerning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humble-servant-is-secretly-wiser/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/criss-jami-320_discerning_it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humb_2606630.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/criss-jami-320_discerning_it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humb_2606630.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/criss-jami-320_discerning_it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humb_2606630.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It often seems as though the silent, humble servant is secretly wiser and more discerning than the haughty…” — Criss Jami", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Criss Jami", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It often seems as though the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humble-servant-is-secretly-wiser/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-often-seems-as-though-the-silent-humble-servant-is-secretly-wiser/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```