---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is like employing a small tool on big…"
description: "\"It is like employing a small tool on big constructions, if we use human wisdom in the hunt for knowledge of reality.\" — Gregory of Nazianzus"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_bigs_it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big_3227404.jpg"
---

#  It is like employing a small tool on big constructions, if…

![“It is like employing a small tool on big constructions, if we use human wisdom in the hunt for knowledge of reality.” quote by Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_bigs_it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big_3227404.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_bigs_it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big_3227404.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_bigs_it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big_3227404.jpg)

> “It is like employing a small tool on big constructions, if we use human wisdom in the hunt for knowledge of reality.”

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human intellect is a modest tool for exploring vast truths, requiring humility and divine guidance.

**In simple terms:** Small tools can help us understand big realities.

Key Takeaway

Use wisdom modestly and seek higher insight.

Themes

knowledge humility wisdom spirituality

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

theological philosophical

When to use this quote

- scientific research
- personal growth
- education
- faith practice

Key Concepts

theology philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- What limits do our tools have in seeking truth?
- How can humility improve learning?

A Different Perspective

Human reasoning alone may be insufficient without divine aid.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Big Constructions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-constructions-6091532/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Construction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/construction/) [Employing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employing/) [Human wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-wisdom/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Hunts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunts/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-reality-667936/) [Orthodox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox/) [Orthodox christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox-christian/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-hunt-6091530/)

## Related quotes

> [Spiritual knowledge is like a house built in the midst of secular and pagan knowledge, in which there is laid up, like a solid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/symeon-the-new-theologian/spiritual-knowledge-is-like-a-house-built-in-the-midst-of-secular-and/)

[Symeon the New Theologian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/symeon-the-new-theologian/)

> [“The range of our knowledge of reality is limited by our pre-existing beliefs, assumptions, and expectations”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-sue-larson/the-range-of-our-knowledge-of-reality-is-limited-by-our-pre-existing/)

[Cynthia Sue Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-sue-larson/)

> [“If we care about knowledge, freedom, and peace, then we need to stake a strong claim: anyone can believe anything, but liberal science—open-ended, depersonalized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rauch/if-we-care-about-knowledge-freedom-and-peace-then-we-need-to-stake-a/)

[Jonathan Rauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rauch/)

> [“At the heart of the novelist's craft lies an optimism which thinks that the knowledge we gather from our everyday experience, if given proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/at-the-heart-of-the-novelist-s-craft-lies-an-optimism-which-thinks/)

[Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/)

> [Teachers and students (leadership and people), co-intent on reality, are both Subjects, not only in the task of unveiling that reality, and thereby coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/teachers-and-students-leadership-and-people-co-intent-on-reality-are/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [Pure logical thinking cannot yield us any knowledge of the empirical world. All knowledge of reality starts from experience and ends in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/pure-logical-thinking-cannot-yield-us-any-knowledge-of-the-empirical/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [May you be children of God, pure and unblameable, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (cf. Phil. 1:15): and may you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/may-you-be-children-of-god-pure-and-unblameable-in-the-midst-of-a/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [As far as we can reach, He Who Is, and God, are the special names of His Essence; and of these especially He Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/as-far-as-we-can-reach-he-who-is-and-god-are-the-special-names-of-his/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [Keep the Feast of the Resurrection. Be a Peter or a John; hasten to the Sepulchre, running together, running against one another, vying in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/keep-the-feast-of-the-resurrection-be-a-peter-or-a-john-hasten-to-the/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [...though every thinking being longs for God, the First Cause, it is powerless... to grasp Him. Tired with the yearning it chafes at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/though-every-thinking-being-longs-for-god-the-first-cause-it-is/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [Do you conceive of your Lord as less because? He shows that humiliation is the best road to exaltation (cf. Mt. 23:12); because He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/do-you-conceive-of-your-lord-as-less-because-he-shows-that/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [...a disposition is an unsatisfactory thing unless we give it practical effect - deeds show dispositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/a-disposition-is-an-unsatisfactory-thing-unless-we-give-it-practical/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [Who should listen to discussions of theology? Those for whom it is a serious undertaking, not just another subject like any other for entertaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/who-should-listen-to-discussions-of-theology-those-for-whom-it-is-a/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [It is more important that we should remember God than that we should breathe: indeed, if one may say so, we should do nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-more-important-that-we-should-remember-god-than-that-we-should/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [There is One God and One Mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ (cf. I Tim. 2:5). For He still pleads even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/there-is-one-god-and-one-mediator-between-god-and-man-the-man-jesus/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

## More by Gregory of Nazianzus

> [That which He has not assumed He has not healed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/that-which-he-has-not-assumed-he-has-not-healed/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [As far as we can reach, He Who Is, and God, are the special names of His Essence; and of these especially He Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/as-far-as-we-can-reach-he-who-is-and-god-are-the-special-names-of-his/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [But as the old Confusion of tongues was laudable, when men who were of one language in wickedness and impiety, even as some now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/but-as-the-old-confusion-of-tongues-was-laudable-when-men-who-were-of/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [If anyone does not believe that Holy Mary is the Mother of God, he is severed from the Godhead. If anyone should assert that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/if-anyone-does-not-believe-that-holy-mary-is-the-mother-of-god-he-is/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [What He was, He laid aside; what He was not, He assumed. He takes upon Himself the poverty of my flesh so that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/what-he-was-he-laid-aside-what-he-was-not-he-assumed-he-takes-upon/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [The first of all beautiful things is the continual possession of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/the-first-of-all-beautiful-things-is-the-continual-possession-of-god/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [Such is the grace and power of baptism; not an overwhelming of the world as of old, but a purification of the sins of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/such-is-the-grace-and-power-of-baptism-not-an-overwhelming-of-the/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [Keep the Feast of the Resurrection. Be a Peter or a John; hasten to the Sepulchre, running together, running against one another, vying in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/keep-the-feast-of-the-resurrection-be-a-peter-or-a-john-hasten-to-the/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [Our teaching may contain nothing impious, nothing diluted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/our-teaching-may-contain-nothing-impious-nothing-diluted/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [Remember God more often than you breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/remember-god-more-often-than-you-breathe/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [If our Lord ascends up to Heaven, ascend with Him. Be one of those angels who escort Him, or one of those who receive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/if-our-lord-ascends-up-to-heaven-ascend-with-him-be-one-of-those/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [It is difficult to practice obedience; but it is even more difficult to practice leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-difficult-to-practice-obedience-but-it-is-even-more-difficult/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [May you be children of God, pure and unblameable, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (cf. Phil. 1:15): and may you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/may-you-be-children-of-god-pure-and-unblameable-in-the-midst-of-a/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [Worship the Trinity, which I call the only true devotion and saving doctrine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/worship-the-trinity-which-i-call-the-only-true-devotion-and-saving/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

> [Christ is born: glorify Him. Christ comes from heaven: go out to meet Him. Christ descends to earth: let us be raised on high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/christ-is-born-glorify-him-christ-comes-from-heaven-go-out-to-meet/)

[Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

[Explore all 55 Gregory of Nazianzus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/)

## More Bigs quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/)

[Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/)

> [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/)

[Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/)

[Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/)

> [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/)

[Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/)

> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/)

[Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/)

> [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/)

[Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/)

[Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/)

> [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/)

[Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/)

> [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/)

[Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/)

[Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It is like employing a small tool on big constructions, if we use human wisdom in the hunt for knowledge of reality.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gregory of Nazianzus"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big-constructions-if-we-use/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bigs"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big-constructions-if-we-use/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_bigs_it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big_3227404.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_bigs_it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big_3227404.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/gregory-of-nazianzus-12417_bigs_it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big_3227404.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It is like employing a small tool on big constructions, if we use human wisdom in the hunt for knowledge of…” — Gregory of Nazianzus",
                "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": "Gregory of Nazianzus",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It is like employing a small...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big-constructions-if-we-use/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/it-is-like-employing-a-small-tool-on-big-constructions-if-we-use/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
