--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Vocation is the place where the world's…" description: "\"Vocation is the place where the world's greatest need and a person's greatest joy meet.\" — Frederick Buechner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/frederick-buechner-883_career_vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s_3142051.png" --- # Vocation is the place where the world's greatest need and… ![“Vocation is the place where the world's greatest need and a person's greatest joy meet.” quote by Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/frederick-buechner-883_career_vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s_3142051.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/frederick-buechner-883_career_vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s_3142051.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/frederick-buechner-883_career_vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s_3142051.png) > “Vocation is the place where the world's greatest need and a person's greatest joy meet.” [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vocation aligns a person’s deepest joy with the world’s greatest need, creating meaningful work. **In simple terms:** Vocation matches joy with need. Key Takeaway Seek work that fulfills both self and society. Themes vocation purpose joy need meaning service Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career choice - volunteering - community projects - personal development Key Concepts theology psychology Questions to Reflect On - What need excites you most? - How can you integrate joy into your work? A Different Perspective Finding such alignment can be rare and difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Your vocation in life is where your greatest joy meets the world's greatest need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/your-vocation-in-life-is-where-your-greatest-joy-meets-the-world-s/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“Vocation is the place where our deep gladness meets the world's deep need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/vocation-is-the-place-where-our-deep-gladness-meets-the-world-s-deep/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The best definition I have ever heard of a vocation is that it's the place where your great joy meets the world's great need.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/the-best-definition-i-have-ever-heard-of-a-vocation-is-that-it-s-the/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [“Vocation is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/vocation-is-the-place-where-your-deep-gladness-and-the-world-s-deep/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“Frederick Buechner wrote, “Vocation is the place where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/frederick-buechner-wrote-vocation-is-the-place-where-our-deep/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [Your calling is where your own greatest joy intersects with the needs of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/your-calling-is-where-your-own-greatest-joy-intersects-with-the-needs/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Your vocation lies in the intersection of the world's deep need and your deep joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/your-vocation-lies-in-the-intersection-of-the-world-s-deep-need-and/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The United Nations is our world's greatest mechanism for making peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-sorensen/the-united-nations-is-our-world-s-greatest-mechanism-for-making-peace/) Gillian Sorensen > [“What's the world's greatest lie?" the boy asked, completely surprised. "It's this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/what-s-the-world-s-greatest-lie-the-boy-asked-completely-surprised-it/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I couldn't ask for anything else I have the best friends in the world and the greatest girlfriend a guy could ask for life's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-couldn-t-ask-for-anything-else-i-have-the-best-friends-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Being born into the world is the greatest crapshoot there is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/being-born-into-the-world-is-the-greatest-crapshoot-there-is/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [I'm as lucky as I can be, for the world's greatest Dad belongs to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-as-lucky-as-i-can-be-for-the-world-s-greatest-dad-belongs-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm the world's greatest wrestler, the world's greatest singer, the world's greatest entertainer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-jarrett/i-m-the-world-s-greatest-wrestler-the-world-s-greatest-singer-the/) [Jeff Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-jarrett/) > [The world's greatest changes are made at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-fesler/the-world-s-greatest-changes-are-made-at-home/) [Wes Fesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-fesler/) > [I worked with the world's greatest talents and then went home to the world's greatest woman. It was, and is, a great life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-como/i-worked-with-the-world-s-greatest-talents-and-then-went-home-to-the/) [Perry Como](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-como/) ## More by Frederick Buechner > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [It is impossible to conceive how different things would have turned out if that birth had not happened whenever, wherever, however it didfor millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/it-is-impossible-to-conceive-how-different-things-would-have-turned/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [At least to look back over their own lives, as I have looked back over mine, for certain themes and patterns and signals that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/at-least-to-look-back-over-their-own-lives-as-i-have-looked-back-over/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Snobs are people who look down on other people, but that does not justify our looking down on them. Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I could, of course, have done no more if no less than affiliated myself in one way or another with a particular church, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-could-of-course-have-done-no-more-if-no-less-than-affiliated-myself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Even the saddest things can become, once we have made peace with them, a source of wisdom and strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/even-the-saddest-things-can-become-once-we-have-made-peace-with-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [A Christian isn't necessarily any nicer than anybody else, just better informed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/a-christian-isn-t-necessarily-any-nicer-than-anybody-else-just-better/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“The things that the world fills time with are enough to turn the heart to stone, but the goodness of time itself is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-things-that-the-world-fills-time-with-are-enough-to-turn-the/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The pride that keeps us from forgiving is the same pride which keeps us from accepting forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-pride-that-keeps-us-from-forgiving-is-the-same-pride-which-keeps/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but a the same time you carry them with you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/you-can-kiss-your-family-and-friends-good-bye-and-put-miles-between/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [If the truth is worth telling, it is worth making a fool of yourself to tell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/if-the-truth-is-worth-telling-it-is-worth-making-a-fool-of-yourself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I suspect that Jesus spoke many of his parables as a kind of sad and holy joke and that that may be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-suspect-that-jesus-spoke-many-of-his-parables-as-a-kind-of-sad-and/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“How Adewen stuffed her braid in her mouth at that! Or she'd cover her mirth with her hands and shake till you'd think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/how-adewen-stuffed-her-braid-in-her-mouth-at-that-or-she-d-cover-her/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/resurrection-means-that-the-worst-thing-is-never-the-last-thing/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) [Explore all 339 Frederick Buechner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/) [Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) [Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Vocation is the place where the world's greatest need and a person's greatest joy meet.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick Buechner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s-greatest-need-and-a-person-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Career" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s-greatest-need-and-a-person-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/frederick-buechner-883_career_vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s_3142051.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/frederick-buechner-883_career_vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s_3142051.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/frederick-buechner-883_career_vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s_3142051.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Vocation is the place where the world's greatest need and a person's greatest joy meet.” — Frederick Buechner", "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": "Frederick Buechner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Vocation is the place where the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s-greatest-need-and-a-person-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/vocation-is-the-place-where-the-world-s-greatest-need-and-a-person-s/#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 } } ] } ```