Discipleship Quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
““All that the follower of Jesus has to do is to make sure that his obedience, following and love are entirely spontaneous and unpremeditated. If you do good, you must not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, you must be quite unconscious of it. Otherwise you are simply displaying your own virtue, and not that which has its source in Jesus Christ. Christ's virtue, the virtue of discipleship, can only be accomplished so long as you are entirely unconscious of what you are doing. The genuine work of love is always a hidden work. Take heed therefore that you know it not, for only so is it the goodness of God. If we want to know our own goodness or love, it has already ceased to be love. We must be unaware even of our love for our enemies. After all, when we love them they are no longer our enemies. This voluntary blindness in the Christan (which is really sight illuminated by Christ) is his certainty, and the fact that his life is hidden from his sight is the ground of his assurance.””
About This Quote
Source Sermon: The Cost of Discipleship, 1937
True love and obedience must be unconscious, hidden, and not self‑conscious, reflecting Christ’s source rather than personal virtue.
In simple terms: Love should be invisible and unselfcon.
Act without seeking recognition.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- conflict resolution
- spiritual practice
- charitable work
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you love without noticing your own effort?
- What does hidden love look like in daily life?
Hard to measure hidden motives; risk of self‑deception.