--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While we exert ourselves to grow beyond…" description: "\"While we exert ourselves to grow beyond our humanity, to leave the human behind us, God becomes human; and we must recognize that God wills that we be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_behinds_while-we-exert-ourselves-to-grow-beyond_2506872.jpg" --- # While we exert ourselves to grow beyond our humanity, to… ![“While we exert ourselves to grow beyond our humanity, to leave the human behind us, God becomes human; and we must recognize that God wills that we be human, real human beings. While we distinguish between pious and godless, good and evil, noble and base, God loves real people without distinction.” quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_behinds_while-we-exert-ourselves-to-grow-beyond_2506872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_behinds_while-we-exert-ourselves-to-grow-beyond_2506872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_behinds_while-we-exert-ourselves-to-grow-beyond_2506872.jpg) > “While we exert ourselves to grow beyond our humanity, to leave the human behind us, God becomes human; and we must recognize that God wills that we be human, real human beings. While we distinguish between pious and godless, good and evil, noble and base, God loves real people without distinction.” [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity must embrace its divine potential without losing its authentic self; God desires genuine humanity. **In simple terms:** Be truly human, not merely divine. Key Takeaway Embrace authentic humanity. Themes faith humanity divinity authenticity Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - community building Key Concepts theology existentialism ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance divine aspirations with human flaws? - What does authentic humanity mean to you? A Different Perspective Humanity may conflict with divine expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Distinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-human/) [God love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-love/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Grow Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow-humanity-1117690/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Human God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-god-978729/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pious/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-people/) [Recognize God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognize-god/) ## Related quotes > [“Christ did not, like an ethicist, love a theory about the good; he loved real people. Christ was not interested, like a philosopher, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/christ-did-not-like-an-ethicist-love-a-theory-about-the-good-he-loved/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“When you develop yourself, you grow humanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seema-brain-openers/when-you-develop-yourself-you-grow-humanity/) [Seema Brain Openers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seema-brain-openers/) > [“A Human never become a God, since Human die but God never die, and God is infinite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashid-jorvee/a-human-never-become-a-god-since-human-die-but-god-never-die-and-god/) [Rashid Jorvee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashid-jorvee/) > [Love yourself enough to never place all that is reserved for God into another human being. God never fails us. 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God is reaching out to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-am-human-because-god-made-me-i-experience-suffering-and-temptation/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [If only he would not pity us so much, Weaken our fate, relieve us ofwoe both great And small, a constant fellow of destiny,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-only-he-would-not-pity-us-so-much-weaken-our-fate-relieve-us-ofwoe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God became man that dehumanized men might become true men. We become true men in the community of the incarnate, the suffering and loving,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/god-became-man-that-dehumanized-men-might-become-true-men-we-become/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“When the God enter into your house, he not enter looking like the God. He enter looking like human being. God enter my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/when-the-god-enter-into-your-house-he-not-enter-looking-like-the-god/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [Its not that you're not capable, its only that you've not yet realised your capacity, cause every human is made same by god's justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/its-not-that-you-re-not-capable-its-only-that-you-ve-not-yet-realised/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [“Sin and evil have their origins in the human will, not in God or in God's plan. At the same time, when sin and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-e-fretheim/sin-and-evil-have-their-origins-in-the-human-will-not-in-god-or-in/) [Terence E. Fretheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-e-fretheim/) > [“When he was twenty-three years old, he (George Fox) saw the inner light in a vision. For him it symbolized the spirit against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/when-he-was-twenty-three-years-old-he-george-fox-saw-the-inner-light/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) ## More by Dietrich Bonhoeffer > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. 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Otherwise the church becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-church-can-only-defend-its-own-space-by-fighting-not-for-space/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There remains an experience of incomparable value . . . to see the great events of world history from below; from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-remains-an-experience-of-incomparable-value-to-see-the-great/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/to-endure-the-cross-is-not-a-tragedy-it-is-the-suffering-which-is-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“There is only one church, the church of faith ruled by the word of Jesus Christ alone. This is the true catholic church that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-only-one-church-the-church-of-faith-ruled-by-the-word-of/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“As Christians, we needn’t be at all ashamed of some impatience, longing, opposition to what is unnatural, and our full share of desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/as-christians-we-needn-t-be-at-all-ashamed-of-some-impatience-longing/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/those-who-love-their-dream-of-a-christian-community-more-than-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“From now on there can be no more wars of faith. The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/from-now-on-there-can-be-no-more-wars-of-faith-the-only-way-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The scriptures do not present us with a series of Christian types to be imitated according to choice; they preach to us in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-scriptures-do-not-present-us-with-a-series-of-christian-types-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/we-are-not-to-simply-bandage-the-wounds-of-victims-beneath-the-wheels/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) [Explore all 711 Dietrich Bonhoeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. 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If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. 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All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "While we exert ourselves to grow beyond our humanity, to leave the human behind us, God becomes human; and we must recognize that God wills that we be human, real human beings. 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