--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It would hardly be kindness if he didn't…" description: "\"“It would hardly be kindness if he didn't punish sin, not to use every means to put the evil thing far from us. Whatever may be meant by the place of m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/george-macdonald-295_evil_it-would-hardly-be-kindness-if-he-didn-t_2847910.jpg" --- # It would hardly be kindness if he didn't punish sin, not… ![“It would hardly be kindness if he didn't punish sin, not to use every means to put the evil thing far from us. Whatever may be meant by the place of misery Mr. Sutherland, it's only another form of his love. Love shining through the fogs of evil, and thus made to look very different.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/george-macdonald-295_evil_it-would-hardly-be-kindness-if-he-didn-t_2847910.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/george-macdonald-295_evil_it-would-hardly-be-kindness-if-he-didn-t_2847910.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/george-macdonald-295_evil_it-would-hardly-be-kindness-if-he-didn-t_2847910.jpg) > ““It would hardly be kindness if he didn't punish sin, not to use every means to put the evil thing far from us. Whatever may be meant by the place of misery Mr. Sutherland, it's only another form of his love. Love shining through the fogs of evil, and thus made to look very different.”” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love must confront and repel evil, using all means to keep sin distant, revealing love’s true nature amidst darkness. **In simple terms:** Love fights evil to stay pure. Key Takeaway Act to protect love from corruption. Themes love morality conflict spirituality Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - spiritual practice - community building Key Concepts theology ethical action redemption Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance love with justice? - What means are acceptable to oppose sin? A Different Perspective Love alone may not eradicate all evil. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Kindness Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-didn-2660761/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Means Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-evil-1415445/) [Mr Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mr-sutherland-3772835/) [Punish Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punish-sin-1050063/) ## Related quotes > [Primarily, God is not bound to punish sin; he is bound to destroy sin. The only vengeance worth having on sin is to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/primarily-god-is-not-bound-to-punish-sin-he-is-bound-to-destroy-sin/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [God didn't overlook your sins, lest he endorse them. He didn't punish you, lest he destroy you. He instead found a way to punish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/god-didn-t-overlook-your-sins-lest-he-endorse-them-he-didn-t-punish/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“You were thinking you had a chance to do what you always do,” said James with kindness I didn’t deserve. “You were going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-carter/you-were-thinking-you-had-a-chance-to-do-what-you-always-do-said/) [Aimee Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-carter/) > [“Kill them with kindness and if that didn't work, use a shotgun”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/kill-them-with-kindness-and-if-that-didn-t-work-use-a-shotgun/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) > [A good end cannot sanctify evil means; nor must we ever do evil that good may come of it. We are too ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/a-good-end-cannot-sanctify-evil-means-nor-must-we-ever-do-evil-that-3/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [A good end cannot sanctify evil means; nor must we ever do evil, that good may come of it... It is as great presumption…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/a-good-end-cannot-sanctify-evil-means-nor-must-we-ever-do-evil-that-2/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Use the term Moslem,” Lo directed. “It means ‘evil and unjust’, rather than the bullshit Muslim word meaning ‘one who gives himself to God’.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lee-deleo/use-the-term-moslem-lo-directed-it-means-evil-and-unjust-rather-than/) [Bernard Lee DeLeo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lee-deleo/) > [“Clowns are vicious--they're all nefarious grins--and if you hung out with a bunch of clowns in a bar, pretty soon it would turn into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenni-fagan/clowns-are-vicious-they-re-all-nefarious-grins-and-if-you-hung-out/) [Jenni Fagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenni-fagan/) > [And out of good still to find means of evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-out-of-good-still-to-find-means-of-evil/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act. It means, rather, that the evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/forgiveness-does-not-mean-ignoring-what-has-been-done-or-putting-a/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [A good End cannot sanctify evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/a-good-end-cannot-sanctify-evil-means-nor-must-we-ever-do-evil-that/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [A good end sanctify evil means; not must we ever do evil, that good might come of it. We are ready to retaliate, rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/a-good-end-sanctify-evil-means-not-must-we-ever-do-evil-that-good/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/no-man-means-evil-but-the-devil-and-we-shall-know-him-by-his-horns/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When I look like this into the blue sky, it seems so deep, so peaceful, so full of a mysterious tenderness, that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/when-i-look-like-this-into-the-blue-sky-it-seems-so-deep-so-peaceful/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Justice for some people is an evil for others. Good intentions, kindness, and hope will not necessarily make people happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gen-urobuchi/justice-for-some-people-is-an-evil-for-others-good-intentions/) [Gen Urobuchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gen-urobuchi/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [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/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It would hardly be kindness if he didn't punish sin, not to use every means to put the evil thing far from us. Whatever may be meant by the place of misery Mr. Sutherland, it's only another form of his love. 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