--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God's providence is not in baskets…" description: "\"God's providence is not in baskets lowered from the sky, but through the hands and hearts of those who love him. The lad without food and without shoes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/george-arthur-buttrick-43975_answers_god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lower_1794630.jpg" --- # God's providence is not in baskets lowered from the sky… ![“God's providence is not in baskets lowered from the sky, but through the hands and hearts of those who love him. The lad without food and without shoes made the proper answer to the cruel-minded woman who asked, "But if God loved you wouldn't he send you food and shoes?" The boy replied, "God told…” quote by George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/george-arthur-buttrick-43975_answers_god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lower_1794630.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/george-arthur-buttrick-43975_answers_god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lower_1794630.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/george-arthur-buttrick-43975_answers_god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lower_1794630.jpg) > “God's providence is not in baskets lowered from the sky, but through the hands and hearts of those who love him. The lad without food and without shoes made the proper answer to the cruel-minded woman who asked, "But if God loved you wouldn't he send you food and shoes?" The boy replied, "God told someone, but he forgot."” [George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine care is expressed through human compassion and action, not miraculous provision. **In simple terms:** God works through caring people, not miracles. Key Takeaway Help others, see them as God's hands. Themes compassion faith service Mood hopeful reflective Type spiritual ethical When to use this quote - charitable work - community support - volunteering - responding to need - faith practice Key Concepts theology human agency divine providence Questions to Reflect On - How can you embody compassion in daily life? - What does this say about faith and action? A Different Perspective Reliance on miracles can diminish personal responsibility to act. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) ## Related quotes > [“Why are the people all so unhappy?" he asked Mister Wolf. "They have a stern and demanding God," Wolf replied. "Which God is that?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/why-are-the-people-all-so-unhappy-he-asked-mister-wolf-they-have-a/) [David Eddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eddings/) > [“I've always believed," she replied, "that if God is going to be strict about anything, that He will be strict about the rules concerning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-redmann-deaths-of-jocasta/i-ve-always-believed-she-replied-that-if-god-is-going-to-be-strict-2/) J. M. Redmann Deaths of Jocasta > [“I've always believed," she replied, "that if God is going to be strict about anything, that He will be strict about the rules concerning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-always-believed-she-replied-that-if-god-is-going-to-be-strict/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Klopstock was questioned regarding the meaning of a passage in his poem. He replied, 'God and I both knew what it meant once; now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-lombroso/klopstock-was-questioned-regarding-the-meaning-of-a-passage-in-his/) [Cesare Lombroso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-lombroso/) > [He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God's providence to lead him aright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/he-that-takes-truth-for-his-guide-and-duty-for-his-end-may-safely/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“God’s providence is always on time! You and I make appointments, and miss them by half-an-hour. But God has never missed an appointment yet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/god-s-providence-is-always-on-time-you-and-i-make-appointments-and/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“In the doctrine of providence we have a specific Christian confession exclusively possible through a true faith in Jesus Christ ... this faith is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/in-the-doctrine-of-providence-we-have-a-specific-christian-confession-2/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [Life is a winding road with unknown perils and troubles, but we can be certain of God's providence, security, and care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-williams/life-is-a-winding-road-with-unknown-perils-and-troubles-but-we-can-be/) Marvin Williams > [God's providence is not blind, but full of eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/god-s-providence-is-not-blind-but-full-of-eyes/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [ “And I may not omit here a special work of God's providence. There was a proud and very profane young man \[aboard the Mayflower\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bradford/and-i-may-not-omit-here-a-special-work-of-god-s-providence-there-was/) [William Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bradford/) > [“Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love, and the future to God's providence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/trust-the-past-to-god-s-mercy-the-present-to-god-s-love-and-the/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Perhaps God’s providence is nowhere more evident than in the fact that he gives parents twelve years to develop a love for their children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyndale/perhaps-god-s-providence-is-nowhere-more-evident-than-in-the-fact/) [Tyndale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyndale/) > [How much better it would be if all could be more aware of God's providence and love and express that gratitude to Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-nelson/how-much-better-it-would-be-if-all-could-be-more-aware-of-god-s/) [Russell M. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-nelson/) > [We must mark God's providence leading us; and if providence tarries, tarry till providence comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/we-must-mark-god-s-providence-leading-us-and-if-providence-tarries/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“There are no coincidences in God's providence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-woodsmall/there-are-no-coincidences-in-god-s-providence/) [Cindy Woodsmall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-woodsmall/) ## More by George Arthur Buttrick > [Life is essentially a series of events to be lived through rather than intellectual riddles to be played with and solved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/life-is-essentially-a-series-of-events-to-be-lived-through-rather/) [George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) > [Intercession is more than specific: it is pondered: it requires us to bear on our heart the burden of those for whom we pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/intercession-is-more-than-specific-it-is-pondered-it-requires-us-to/) [George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) > [Prayer is listening as well as speaking, receiving as well as asking; and its deepest mood is friendship held in reverence. So the daily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/prayer-is-listening-as-well-as-speaking-receiving-as-well-as-asking/) [George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) > [For a man to argue, 'I don't go to church; I pray alone,' is no wiser than if he should say, 'I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/for-a-man-to-argue-i-don-t-go-to-church-i-pray-alone-is-no-wiser-than/) [George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) > [Prayer is not a substitute for work, thinking, watching, suffering, or giving; prayer is a support for all other efforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/prayer-is-not-a-substitute-for-work-thinking-watching-suffering-or/) [George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) > [Faith is the response of our spirits to beckonings of the eternal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/faith-is-the-response-of-our-spirits-to-beckonings-of-the-eternal/) [George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) > [Prayer is not a vain attempt to change God's will; it is a filial desire to learn God's will and to share it. Prayer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/prayer-is-not-a-vain-attempt-to-change-god-s-will-it-is-a-filial/) [George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) > [We need deliberately to call to mind the joys of our journey. Perhaps we should try to write down the blessings of one day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/we-need-deliberately-to-call-to-mind-the-joys-of-our-journey-perhaps/) [George Arthur Buttrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) [Explore all 9 George Arthur Buttrick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God's providence is not in baskets lowered from the sky, but through the hands and hearts of those who love him. The lad without food and without shoes made the proper answer to the cruel-minded woman who asked, \"But if God loved you wouldn't he send you food and shoes?\" The boy replied, \"God told someone, but he forgot.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Arthur Buttrick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lowered-from-the-sky-but-through/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lowered-from-the-sky-but-through/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/george-arthur-buttrick-43975_answers_god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lower_1794630.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/george-arthur-buttrick-43975_answers_god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lower_1794630.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/george-arthur-buttrick-43975_answers_god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lower_1794630.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God's providence is not in baskets lowered from the sky, but through the hands and hearts of those who love…” — George Arthur Buttrick", "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": "George Arthur Buttrick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arthur-buttrick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "God's providence is not in baskets...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lowered-from-the-sky-but-through/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arthur-buttrick/god-s-providence-is-not-in-baskets-lowered-from-the-sky-but-through/#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 } } ] } ```