---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lord, you will have to be our teacher…"
description: "\"“Lord, you will have to be our teacher, because the dignity has been drained out of us in so many ways. We have been treated like dirt, and that has st..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/dallas-willard-819_amen_lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-bec_1586352.png"
---

#  Lord, you will have to be our teacher, because the dignity…

![“Lord, you will have to be our teacher, because the dignity has been drained out of us in so many ways. We have been treated like dirt, and that has stuck on us. We’ve put ourselves against standards of our own making, because we thought it would give us worth. Please touch each person with how…” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/dallas-willard-819_amen_lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-bec_1586352.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/dallas-willard-819_amen_lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-bec_1586352.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/dallas-willard-819_amen_lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-bec_1586352.png)

> ““Lord, you will have to be our teacher, because the dignity has been drained out of us in so many ways. We have been treated like dirt, and that has stuck on us. We’ve put ourselves against standards of our own making, because we thought it would give us worth. Please touch each person with how unique they are in your eyes and how their dignity in your eyes is so great that you will not even override them; you will woo them and pursue them and help them to accept that you are seeking them and you will allow yourself to be found by them if they simply cry out for help. I pray that great freedom will come across them because of their awareness of where they stand in your kingdom. That will make Jesus very happy, and the angels in heaven will jump up and down. And so we say, Let it be so, and that’s what we mean by amen. Amen. Dallas Willard””

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A prayer asking for divine guidance to restore human dignity and freedom.

**In simple terms:** Seek God's help to restore dignity.

Key Takeaway

Trust in divine compassion for personal worth.

Themes

spirituality dignity freedom

Mood

reverent hopeful

Type

inspirational prayerful

When to use this quote

- personal prayer
- community worship
- counseling sessions

Key Concepts

theology human worth divine love

Questions to Reflect On

- How does recognizing divine value change self‑view?
- What actions reflect restored dignity?

A Different Perspective

Human effort alone cannot fully restore dignity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Amen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amen/) [Angels In Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angels-in-heaven/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/)

## Related quotes

> [“Many people have found prayer impossible because they thought they should only pray for wonderful but remote needs they actually had little or no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/many-people-have-found-prayer-impossible-because-they-thought-they/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [Dallas Willard warns us too of the "cost of non-discipleship." We may be able to live with some pain, but when our whole self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/dallas-willard-warns-us-too-of-the-cost-of-non-discipleship-we-may-be/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [Pray for great things, expect great things, work for great things, but above all pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-torrey/pray-for-great-things-expect-great-things-work-for-great-things-but/)

[R. A. Torrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-torrey/)

> [I have something else to ask you, to ask every American. I ask you to pray for this great nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-have-something-else-to-ask-you-to-ask-every-american-i-ask-you-to/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [Let there be cultivated an awareness in every member's heart of his own potential for bringing others to a knowledge of the truth. Let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/let-there-be-cultivated-an-awareness-in-every-member-s-heart-of-his/)

[Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/)

> [Sometimes we think we are too busy to pray. That is a great mistake, for praying is a saving of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/sometimes-we-think-we-are-too-busy-to-pray-that-is-a-great-mistake/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [I'd rather be able to pray than to be a great preacher; Jesus Christ never taught his disciples how to preach, but only how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/i-d-rather-be-able-to-pray-than-to-be-a-great-preacher-jesus-christ/)

[Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/)

> [Pray for the great ones &amp; you will become greaterSalute to the man on top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shappy-song/pray-for-the-great-ones-you-will-become-greatersalute-to-the-man-on/)

[Shappy Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shappy-song/)

> [“Lord, I pray that of Your great goodness You would make known to me, and take from my heart, every kind and form and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/lord-i-pray-that-of-your-great-goodness-you-would-make-known-to-me/)

[Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/)

> [Notice how people can sit for hours and talk to one another, but call us to pray and we find it to be great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wallace/notice-how-people-can-sit-for-hours-and-talk-to-one-another-but-call/)

David Wallace

> [“I pray that 2018 becomes the best years for you , I know you are Struggling , but as i pray for you there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siphesihle-manzini/i-pray-that-2018-becomes-the-best-years-for-you-i-know-you-are/)

siphesihle manzini

> [“Celebration heartily done makes our deprivations and sorrows seem small, and we find in it great strength to do the will of our God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/celebration-heartily-done-makes-our-deprivations-and-sorrows-seem/)

[Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/)

> [“Dallas Willard writes, “If you want to experience the flow of love as never before, the next time you are in a competitive situation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/dallas-willard-writes-if-you-want-to-experience-the-flow-of-love-as/)

[Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/)

> [“Dallas Willard notes, “The two main errors in the area of human sexuality are these: (1) assuming that all sexual desire is good, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryan-smith/dallas-willard-notes-the-two-main-errors-in-the-area-of-human/)

[James Bryan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryan-smith/)

> [“Dallas Willard explains: The world has succeeded in opposing intelligence to goodness. . . . And today any attempt to combine spirituality or moral purity with great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-c-wilson/dallas-willard-explains-the-world-has-succeeded-in-opposing/)

[Jared C. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-c-wilson/)

## More by Dallas Willard

> [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [“Sabbath is a way of life (Heb 4:3; 9-11). It is simply "casting all your anxiety on Him," to find that in actual fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/sabbath-is-a-way-of-life-heb-4-3-9-11-it-is-simply-casting-all-your/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [Discipline, strictly speaking, is activity carried on to prepare us indirectly for some activity other than itself. We do not practice the piano to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipline-strictly-speaking-is-activity-carried-on-to-prepare-us/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [“The Spirit makes Christ present to us and draws us toward his likeness. It is as we thus behold the “glory of the Lord”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spirit-makes-christ-present-to-us-and-draws-us-toward-his/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God's great universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-are-unceasing-spiritual-beings-with-an-eternal-destiny-in-god-s/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [We know we can't be spiritually transformed by just focusing on the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-know-we-can-t-be-spiritually-transformed-by-just-focusing-on-the/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [My central claim is that we become like Christ by doing one thing-by following Him in the overall style of life He chose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/my-central-claim-is-that-we-become-like-christ-by-doing-one-thing-by/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [“The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons, with Himself included in that community as its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-god-in-history-is-the-creation-of-an-all-inclusive/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-greatest-issue-facing-the-world-today-with-all-its-heartbreaking/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [What we can do with these means (our own unassisted strength) is still very small compared to what we could do in acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-we-can-do-with-these-means-our-own-unassisted-strength-is-still/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

[Explore all 357 Dallas Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

## More Amen quotes

> [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [I build on Christ, the rock of ages; on his sure mercies described in his word, and on his promises, all which I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-build-on-christ-the-rock-of-ages-on-his-sure-mercies-described-in/)

[John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/)

> [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/)

[Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/)

> [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/)

[Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/)

> [Today we pray for those who are grieving the loss of their mother, maybe even years after they were separated; those who never knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-we-pray-for-those-who-are-grieving-the-loss-of-their-mother/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I like Dr. Daniel Amen's 18/40/60 Rule: When you're 18, you worry about what everybody is thinking of you; when you're 40, you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/i-like-dr-daniel-amen-s-18-40-60-rule-when-you-re-18-you-worry-about/)

[Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/)

> [My father was a minister for 50 years with Pentecostal Church of God in Christ. We prayed about everything, every day, then he always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/my-father-was-a-minister-for-50-years-with-pentecostal-church-of-god/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Dear God,I dont ask you to make my life easier but I ask you to give me the strength to face all my troubles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irisjc/dear-god-i-dont-ask-you-to-make-my-life-easier-but-i-ask-you-to-give/)

IrisJC

> [Dear God, I surrender this thought to you, for I would see the miracle that lies behind it. Amen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/dear-god-i-surrender-this-thought-to-you-for-i-would-see-the-miracle/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [God is good. God is great. We need to stop what we are doing. And thank him each day. AMEN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-vickers/god-is-good-god-is-great-we-need-to-stop-what-we-are-doing-and-thank/)

[Jennifer Vickers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-vickers/)

> [Because he KNEW he was doing wrong. He felt the PAIN of his actions'-- 'But he did not amen them,' shows the Sky. 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/because-he-knew-he-was-doing-wrong-he-felt-the-pain-of-his-actions/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [Dear Lord,' he said. 'let me be like Aron. Don’t make me mean. I don’t want to be. If you will let everybody like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/dear-lord-he-said-let-me-be-like-aron-don-t-make-me-mean-i-don-t-want/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Call-and-response style, yes, exactly. So whenever different groups get together then there has to be this long period of negotiation. How will we worship?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/call-and-response-style-yes-exactly-so-whenever-different-groups-get/)

[Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/)

> [“Lord, I give my mouth to you today. May what comes forth be sweet and not bitter. May the journey each word takes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-ehman/lord-i-give-my-mouth-to-you-today-may-what-comes-forth-be-sweet-and/)

[Karen Ehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-ehman/)

> [“O God, You know me to be set in the midst of great peril. Grant me such strength of mind and body, that those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling-2/o-god-you-know-me-to-be-set-in-the-midst-of-great-peril-grant-me-such/)

[S. M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling-2/)

[Browse all 428 Amen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amen/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Lord, you will have to be our teacher, because the dignity has been drained out of us in so many ways. We have been treated like dirt, and that has stuck on us. We’ve put ourselves against standards of our own making, because we thought it would give us worth. Please touch each person with how unique they are in your eyes and how their dignity in your eyes is so great that you will not even override them; you will woo them and pursue them and help them to accept that you are seeking them and you will allow yourself to be found by them if they simply cry out for help. I pray that great freedom will come across them because of their awareness of where they stand in your kingdom. That will make Jesus very happy, and the angels in heaven will jump up and down. And so we say, Let it be so, and that’s what we mean by amen. Amen. Dallas Willard”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dallas Willard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-because-the-dignity-has-been/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Amen"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-because-the-dignity-has-been/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/dallas-willard-819_amen_lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-bec_1586352.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/dallas-willard-819_amen_lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-bec_1586352.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/dallas-willard-819_amen_lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-bec_1586352.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Lord, you will have to be our teacher, because the dignity has been drained out of us in so many ways. We…” — Dallas Willard",
                "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": "Dallas Willard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Lord, you will have to be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-because-the-dignity-has-been/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/lord-you-will-have-to-be-our-teacher-because-the-dignity-has-been/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
