--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The value of the things is not in…" description: "\"The value of the things is not in themselves autonomously, but that God made them, and thus they deserve to be treated with high respect. The tree in t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/535/francis-schaeffer-2607_cat_the-value-of-the-things-is-not-in-themse_2441456.jpg" --- # The value of the things is not in themselves autonomously… ![“The value of the things is not in themselves autonomously, but that God made them, and thus they deserve to be treated with high respect. The tree in the field is to be treated with respect. It is not to be romanticized as the old lady romanticizes her cat (that is, she reads human reactions into…” quote by Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/535/francis-schaeffer-2607_cat_the-value-of-the-things-is-not-in-themse_2441456.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/535/francis-schaeffer-2607_cat_the-value-of-the-things-is-not-in-themse_2441456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/535/francis-schaeffer-2607_cat_the-value-of-the-things-is-not-in-themse_2441456.jpg) > “The value of the things is not in themselves autonomously, but that God made them, and thus they deserve to be treated with high respect. The tree in the field is to be treated with respect. It is not to be romanticized as the old lady romanticizes her cat (that is, she reads human reactions into it). This is wrong because it is not true. When you drive the axe into the tree when you need firewood, you are not cutting down a person; you are cutting down a tree. But while we should not romanticize the tree, we must realize God made it and it deserves respect because He made is as a tree.” [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Objects have intrinsic worth because they are created by God, deserving respect beyond human sentiment. **In simple terms:** Created things merit respect. Key Takeaway Treat all creations with reverence. Themes respect creation theology environment Mood contemplative serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - logging - urban planning - environmental policy - personal conduct - education Key Concepts Divine authority intrinsic value anthropocentrism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance respect for nature with human necessity? - What defines intrinsic value? A Different Perspective Respect may conflict with practical needs like resource use. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Cutting down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting-down/) [Deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve/) [Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fields/) [Firewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firewood/) [Forests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forests/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Made it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made-it/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Old lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-lady/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Reactions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactions/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Respect Romanticized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-romanticized-491415/) [Respect Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-tree-491416/) [Romanticize Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romanticize-tree-491414/) [Romanticized Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romanticized-old-491417/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Treated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treated/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Tree Romanticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree-romanticize-491413/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [“The tree in the field is to be treated with respect. It is not to be romanticized as the old lady romanticizes her cat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/the-tree-in-the-field-is-to-be-treated-with-respect-it-is-not-to-be/) [Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/) > [I seemed to recall some words from an old Zen master, something like, "My Zen cuts down mountains." My rejection of Buddhism was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-seemed-to-recall-some-words-from-an-old-zen-master-something-like/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [At the umbilical region we actually network with people. Picture that you are cutting those cords to everyone you know. It doesn't mean you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/at-the-umbilical-region-we-actually-network-with-people-picture-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Cut down the forest, not just a tree. Out of the forest of desire springs danger. By cutting down both the forest of desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/cut-down-the-forest-not-just-a-tree-out-of-the-forest-of-desire/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [People moved in across the street and are immediately cutting down a huge tree. Their toothbrushes will know my buttonhole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-delaney/people-moved-in-across-the-street-and-are-immediately-cutting-down-a/) [Rob Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-delaney/) > [With time environmental issues got much more complicated. It is pretty easy, if you know what you are doing, to stop a company from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/with-time-environmental-issues-got-much-more-complicated-it-is-pretty/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [Even if you could use all the organic material that you have--the animal manures, the human waste, the plant residues--and get them back on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-borlaug/even-if-you-could-use-all-the-organic-material-that-you-have-the/) [Norman Borlaug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-borlaug/) > [I'm composing more than before. I'm cutting down on conducting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esa-pekka-salonen/i-m-composing-more-than-before-i-m-cutting-down-on-conducting/) [Esa-Pekka Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esa-pekka-salonen/) > [We must use a good deal of economy in our wood, never cutting down new, where we can make the old do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-must-use-a-good-deal-of-economy-in-our-wood-never-cutting-down-new/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Humanity is cutting down its forests, apparently oblivious to the fact that we may not be able to live without them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/humanity-is-cutting-down-its-forests-apparently-oblivious-to-the-fact/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Economy: cutting down other people's wages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-morton/economy-cutting-down-other-people-s-wages/) [J. B. Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-morton/) > [ Active conservation \[of gorillas\] involves simply going out into the forest, on foot, day after day after day, attempting to capture poachers, killing-regretfully-poacher dogs,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dian-fossey/active-conservation-of-gorillas-involves-simply-going-out-into-the/) [Dian Fossey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dian-fossey/) > [If you want to know when a war might be coming, you just watch the U.S. and see when it starts cutting down on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/if-you-want-to-know-when-a-war-might-be-coming-you-just-watch-the-u-s/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Cutting down the enemy is the way of strategy, and there is no need for many refinements of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/cutting-down-the-enemy-is-the-way-of-strategy-and-there-is-no-need/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [I don't know just what, but there will have to be some drastic changes made besides cutting down on boating to get my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/i-don-t-know-just-what-but-there-will-have-to-be-some-drastic-changes/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) ## More by Francis Schaeffer > [Jesus taught that the mark of the Christian is the observable love shown among all true believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/jesus-taught-that-the-mark-of-the-christian-is-the-observable-love/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [As evangelical Christians we have tended to relegate art to the very fringe of life. The rest of human life we feel is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/as-evangelical-christians-we-have-tended-to-relegate-art-to-the-very/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [Belief does not change what is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/belief-does-not-change-what-is/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [The overall way of thinking in the United States has shifted away from basic Biblical values, and the media share in the responsibility for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-overall-way-of-thinking-in-the-united-states-has-shifted-away/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [In God's world the individual counts. Therefore, Christian art should deal with the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/in-god-s-world-the-individual-counts-therefore-christian-art-should/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [As evangelical Christians, we have tended to relegate art to the very fringe of life. The rest of human life we feel is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/as-evangelical-christians-we-have-tended-to-relegate-art-to-the-very-2/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [In the 20th century, evangelical Christians in America have naively accepted the role assigned to us by an anti-religious, anti-Christian consensus in our society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/in-the-20th-century-evangelical-christians-in-america-have-naively/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [Humanism is not wrong in its cry for sociological healing, but humanism is not producing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/humanism-is-not-wrong-in-its-cry-for-sociological-healing-but/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [To die is to be with the Lord. It is not just an idea, it is a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/to-die-is-to-be-with-the-lord-it-is-not-just-an-idea-it-is-a-reality/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [The purpose of apologetics is not just to win an argument or a discussion, but that people with whom we are in contact may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-purpose-of-apologetics-is-not-just-to-win-an-argument-or-a/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [If the church is what it should be, young people will be there. But they will not just 'be there' - they will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/if-the-church-is-what-it-should-be-young-people-will-be-there-but/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [With the Fall all became abnormal. It is not just that the individual is separated from God by his true moral guilt, but each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/with-the-fall-all-became-abnormal-it-is-not-just-that-the-individual/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [There is nothing more ugly than an orthodoxy without understanding or compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/there-is-nothing-more-ugly-than-an-orthodoxy-without-understanding-or/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [This is not an age in which to be a soft Christian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/this-is-not-an-age-in-which-to-be-a-soft-christian/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [The great distinction of a true Christian is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. How careful should he be, lest anything in his thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-great-distinction-of-a-true-christian-is-the-indwelling-of-the/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) [Explore all 158 Francis Schaeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) ## More Cat quotes > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [One reason why my memory decays is that I have three cats, all so loving and insistent that they play cat's-cradle with every train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/one-reason-why-my-memory-decays-is-that-i-have-three-cats-all-so/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [If you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies beyond the phaneron… my answer is “How should I know?”……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/if-you-ask-me-to-tell-you-anything-about-the-nature-of-what-lies/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [Kittens can happen to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gallico/kittens-can-happen-to-anyone/) [Paul Gallico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gallico/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“All right, you deadly little ghostlings,” I muttered. “Mama says go back to bed! - Cat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/all-right-you-deadly-little-ghostlings-i-muttered-mama-says-go-back/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Man wishes woman to be peaceable, but in fact she is essentially warlike, like the cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/man-wishes-woman-to-be-peaceable-but-in-fact-she-is-essentially/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [There are videos I used to take at home, pretending to be a newscaster, interviewing the teapot or my house cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-wagner/there-are-videos-i-used-to-take-at-home-pretending-to-be-a-newscaster/) [Alex Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-wagner/) [Browse all 2,996 Cat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The value of the things is not in themselves autonomously, but that God made them, and thus they deserve to be treated with high respect. 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