--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Quick check, said Christ’s emissary from…" description: "\"“Quick check, said Christ’s emissary from his seat at the diamond table. The being on the right held the mirror up before the red-bearded fellow. The b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/319/george-saunders-317_rejoicing_quick-check-said-christ-s-emissary-from_2639468.jpg" --- # Quick check, said Christ’s emissary from his seat at the… ![“Quick check, said Christ’s emissary from his seat at the diamond table. The being on the right held the mirror up before the red-bearded fellow. The being on the left reached into the red-bearded man’s chest and, with a deft and somehow apologetic movement, extracted the man’s heart, and placed it…” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/319/george-saunders-317_rejoicing_quick-check-said-christ-s-emissary-from_2639468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/319/george-saunders-317_rejoicing_quick-check-said-christ-s-emissary-from_2639468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/319/george-saunders-317_rejoicing_quick-check-said-christ-s-emissary-from_2639468.jpg) > ““Quick check, said Christ’s emissary from his seat at the diamond table. The being on the right held the mirror up before the red-bearded fellow. The being on the left reached into the red-bearded man’s chest and, with a deft and somehow apologetic movement, extracted the man’s heart, and placed it on the scale. The being on the right checked the mirror. The being on the left checked the scale. Very good, said the Christ-emissary. We are so happy for you, said the being on the right, and I cannot adequately describe the sound of rejoicing that echoed then from across what I now understood to be a vast kingdom extending in all directions around the palace.”” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage uses fantastical imagery to explore judgment, truth, and the awe of cosmic scale. **In simple terms:** A fantastical judgment scene reflects deeper truths. Key Takeaway Reflect on how we judge ourselves and others. Themes judgment truth surrealism cosmic scale reflection Mood contemplative enigmatic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - fictional narrative - philosophical discussion - art critique Key Concepts metaphor ethical evaluation spiritual insight Questions to Reflect On - What does the heart represent? - How does the mirror alter perception? A Different Perspective The symbolism may be obscure without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christ Emissary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ-emissary-2257704/) [Emissary Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emissary-happy-2257705/) [Held Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/held-mirror-2257706/) [Rejoicing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejoicing/) [Said Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-christ-622979/) ## Related quotes > [“How did you live? asked the being on the right. Tell it truthfully, the other said, as, from either side, they gently touched their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/how-did-you-live-asked-the-being-on-the-right-tell-it-truthfully-the/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Shakespeare, in some sense, helped create the modern man, didn't he, his influence is that pervasive. He held the mirror up to nature, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-winfield/shakespeare-in-some-sense-helped-create-the-modern-man-didn-t-he-his/) [Jess Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-winfield/) > [My parents, my teachers, my friends, my ex-wife-everybody held up a mirror and I accepted the image that came back. Well, it finally dawned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-moran/my-parents-my-teachers-my-friends-my-ex-wife-everybody-held-up-a/) [Richard Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-moran/) > [Gandhi said it; Frederick Douglass said it. A lot of people have probably said 'It's not Christ that I have a problem with, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/gandhi-said-it-frederick-douglass-said-it-a-lot-of-people-have/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [One has said that Christ excelled all other moralists in this, that He puts the padlock not upon the hand, but upon the heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomson/one-has-said-that-christ-excelled-all-other-moralists-in-this-that-he/) [Edward Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomson/) > [O Priest! Take care lest what was said to Christ on the cross be said to you: He saved others, himself he cannot save!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-of-xanten/o-priest-take-care-lest-what-was-said-to-christ-on-the-cross-be-said/) [Norbert of Xanten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-of-xanten/) > [“He can't have gone, he said "Christ know he can't have gone. He's making a turn. Maybe he has been hooked before and her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/he-can-t-have-gone-he-said-christ-know-he-can-t-have-gone-he-s-making/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [ \[During the Renaissance\] the Italians said, "We are one in the Father: we will go back." The Northern races said, "We are one in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/during-the-renaissance-the-italians-said-we-are-one-in-the-father-we/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [A sign in the yard of a church next door said CHRIST IS THE ANSWER. (The question, of course, is: What do you say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/a-sign-in-the-yard-of-a-church-next-door-said-christ-is-the-answer/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [It's always the idle habits you acquire which you will regret. Father said that. That Christ was not crucified: he was worn away by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-s-always-the-idle-habits-you-acquire-which-you-will-regret-father/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Rejoicing refers to moderation of spirit when the mind keeps itself in calmness under adversity and does not give indulgence to grief. Constant praying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/rejoicing-refers-to-moderation-of-spirit-when-the-mind-keeps-itself/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/the-faithful-will-know-that-every-tear-today-will-eventually-be/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [For what can be imagined more beautiful than the sight of a perfectly just city rejoicing in justice alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/for-what-can-be-imagined-more-beautiful-than-the-sight-of-a-perfectly/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels, or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends, rather than just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-green/if-your-heart-takes-more-pleasure-in-reading-novels-or-watching-tv-or/) [Keith Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-green/) > [“Laugh now, and laugh hard. For laughter is the bell. And when it rings, it cleanses the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/laugh-now-and-laugh-hard-for-laughter-is-the-bell-and-when-it-rings/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) ## More by George Saunders > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/wow-wow-wow-is-all-i-can-say-remember-how-i-always-buy-lunchtime/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. These and all things started as nothing, latent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/none-of-it-was-real-nothing-was-real-everything-was-real/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“We must see God not as a Him (some linear rewarding fellow) but an IT, a great beast beyond our understanding, who wants something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-must-see-god-not-as-a-him-some-linear-rewarding-fellow-but-an-it-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [America, to me, should be shouting all the time, a bunch of shouting voices, most of them wrong, some of them nuts, but please,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/america-to-me-should-be-shouting-all-the-time-a-bunch-of-shouting/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [In my case, when I am trying to be "kind" I often default in a sort of toothless loving-all stance that is, actually, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-my-case-when-i-am-trying-to-be-kind-i-often-default-in-a-sort-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Whatever your supposed politics are - left, right - if you put it in a human connection, most people will rise to the occasion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/whatever-your-supposed-politics-are-left-right-if-you-put-it-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“A Clinton staffer tells me his theory. Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What America is, to me, is a guy doesn't want to buy, you let him not buy, you respect his not buying. A guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-america-is-to-me-is-a-guy-doesn-t-want-to-buy-you-let-him-not/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What good the prophet in the wilderness may do is incremental and personal. It's good for us to hear someone speak the irrational truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-good-the-prophet-in-the-wilderness-may-do-is-incremental-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We're in the transition between birth and death. But the one that people often know about is the transition between the moment of death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-re-in-the-transition-between-birth-and-death-but-the-one-that/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [You don't want to be that parent - the one who dresses his kid in a cloth sack when all the other kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-don-t-want-to-be-that-parent-the-one-who-dresses-his-kid-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) [Explore all 690 George Saunders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## More Rejoicing quotes > [“Laugh now, and laugh hard. For laughter is the bell. And when it rings, it cleanses the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/laugh-now-and-laugh-hard-for-laughter-is-the-bell-and-when-it-rings/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels, or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends, rather than just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-green/if-your-heart-takes-more-pleasure-in-reading-novels-or-watching-tv-or/) [Keith Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-green/) > [For what can be imagined more beautiful than the sight of a perfectly just city rejoicing in justice alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/for-what-can-be-imagined-more-beautiful-than-the-sight-of-a-perfectly/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [The faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/the-faithful-will-know-that-every-tear-today-will-eventually-be/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [Rejoicing refers to moderation of spirit when the mind keeps itself in calmness under adversity and does not give indulgence to grief. Constant praying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/rejoicing-refers-to-moderation-of-spirit-when-the-mind-keeps-itself/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“Rejoice in small things and they will continue to grow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slaven-vujic/rejoice-in-small-things-and-they-will-continue-to-grow/) [Slaven Vujic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slaven-vujic/) > [My eyes rejoicing-- my beloved's fan, so white it is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-eyes-rejoicing-my-beloved-s-fan-so-white-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most evident token and apparent sign of true wisdom is a constant and unconstrained rejoicing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-most-evident-token-and-apparent-sign-of-true-wisdom-is-a-constant/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Art is a form of play rejoicing before the face of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-rookmaaker/art-is-a-form-of-play-rejoicing-before-the-face-of-god/) [Hans Rookmaaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-rookmaaker/) > [Getting older is the best thing that ever happened to me. I wake up every morning rejoicing that I'm still here with an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/getting-older-is-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-i-wake-up/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Rejoicing and repentance must go together. Repentance without rejoicing will lead to despair. Rejoicing without repentance is shallow and will only provide passing inspiration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/rejoicing-and-repentance-must-go-together-repentance-without/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [In those vernal seasons of the year when the air is calm and pleasant, it were an injury and sullenness against nature not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/in-those-vernal-seasons-of-the-year-when-the-air-is-calm-and-pleasant/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“This joy in God is not like any pleasure found in physical or intellectual satisfaction. Nor is it such as a friend experiences in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/this-joy-in-god-is-not-like-any-pleasure-found-in-physical-or/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [Hope fills the afflicted soul with such inward joy and consolation, that it can laugh while tears are in the eye, sigh and sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/hope-fills-the-afflicted-soul-with-such-inward-joy-and-consolation/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [Thou rising Sun! thou blue rejoicing Sky! Yea! every thing that is and will be free! Bear witness for me, whereso'er ye be, With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/thou-rising-sun-thou-blue-rejoicing-sky-yea-every-thing-that-is-and/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) [Browse all 70 Rejoicing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejoicing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Quick check, said Christ’s emissary from his seat at the diamond table. The being on the right held the mirror up before the red-bearded fellow. The being on the left reached into the red-bearded man’s chest and, with a deft and somehow apologetic movement, extracted the man’s heart, and placed it on the scale. The being on the right checked the mirror. The being on the left checked the scale. Very good, said the Christ-emissary. 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