--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Use power to help people. For we are…" description: "\"Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one ju..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/george-w-bush-64_given_use-power-to-help-people-for-we-are-give_2654298.jpg" --- # Use power to help people. For we are given power not to… ![“Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people.” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/george-w-bush-64_given_use-power-to-help-people-for-we-are-give_2654298.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/george-w-bush-64_given_use-power-to-help-people-for-we-are-give_2654298.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/george-w-bush-64_given_use-power-to-help-people-for-we-are-give_2654298.jpg) > “Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people.” [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power should be used to serve people, not personal gain or fame. **In simple terms:** Power exists to serve others. Key Takeaway Lead with servant leadership. Themes leadership service power ethics public duty Mood reflective ethical Type political inspirational When to use this quote - government roles - nonprofit work - community organizing - corporate governance Key Concepts political theory social responsibility ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders stay accountable? - What structures prevent misuse of power? A Different Perspective Power can be corrupted by personal ambition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-power-254981/) [Help people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-help-414991/) [Serve People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serve-people/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use of power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-of-power/) [Use Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-power/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-is-but-one-just-use-of-power-and-it-is-to-serve-people/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [You have the power to help people become winners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/you-have-the-power-to-help-people-become-winners/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Nothing discloses real character like the use of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/nothing-discloses-real-character-like-the-use-of-power/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [So the intelligent use of power is to never interfere with anyone else's success. Use the power you get to just be more successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/so-the-intelligent-use-of-power-is-to-never-interfere-with-anyone/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Power, as human beings exercise power, to me means the ability to change: the ability to change oneself, the ability to change one's community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-jefferts-schori/power-as-human-beings-exercise-power-to-me-means-the-ability-to/) [Katharine Jefferts Schori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-jefferts-schori/) > [Leadership is the wise use of power. Power is the capacity to translate intention into reality and sustain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/leadership-is-the-wise-use-of-power-power-is-the-capacity-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Power can be hoarded by the mighty or stolen from the innocent.Power provides the ability to choose. But has a proclivity for corruption. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thorne/power-can-be-hoarded-by-the-mighty-or-stolen-from-the-innocent-power/) [Emily Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thorne/) > [ \[On power:\] Some people really have almost a disdain for that word. They feel it is alien to conscience. Power for power's sake, no.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-dole/on-power-some-people-really-have-almost-a-disdain-for-that-word-they/) [Elizabeth Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-dole/) > [Nothing discloses character like the use of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/nothing-discloses-character-like-the-use-of-power/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [I would define the proper use of power as something that creates happiness for yourself and others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-would-define-the-proper-use-of-power-as-something-that-creates/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The ultimate use of power is to empower others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/the-ultimate-use-of-power-is-to-empower-others/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [My first act as president is a prayer. I ask you to bow your heads: Heavenly Father, we bow our heads and thank You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/my-first-act-as-president-is-a-prayer-i-ask-you-to-bow-your-heads/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [“Doc Daneeka was Yossarian's friend and would do just about nothing in his power to help him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/doc-daneeka-was-yossarian-s-friend-and-would-do-just-about-nothing-in/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [Even if you feel all right, tell the actors you don't have full power, and they will help you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-von-trier/even-if-you-feel-all-right-tell-the-actors-you-don-t-have-full-power/) [Lars von Trier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-von-trier/) > [“God power will help you in times that you have a low will power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/god-power-will-help-you-in-times-that-you-have-a-low-will-power/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) ## More by George W. Bush > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. 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If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-tyrant-has-fallen-and-iraq-is-free/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“One of our energy strategies is to increase the CAFE standards to 35 miles per hour..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-our-energy-strategies-is-to-increase-the-cafe-standards-to-35/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. 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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/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The old charters of Massachusetts, Virginia, and the Carolinas had given title to strips of territory extending from the Atlantic westward to the Pacific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-bushnell-hart/the-old-charters-of-massachusetts-virginia-and-the-carolinas-had/) [Albert Bushnell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-bushnell-hart/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. 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