--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...he said almost nothing, and ground his…" description: "\"“...he said almost nothing, and ground his teeth against his desire to tell them the truth: God is helpless. We are at the mercy of our own radical fre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/161/haven-kimmel-14289_acts-of-kindness_he-said-almost-nothing-and-ground-his-te_2652496.jpg" --- # ...he said almost nothing, and ground his teeth against… ![“...he said almost nothing, and ground his teeth against his desire to tell them the truth: God is helpless. We are at the mercy of our own radical freedom, and all God can do is take into God's self the grief, the violence, the sublime acts of kindness, the good sex. God comes to us from the…” quote by Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/161/haven-kimmel-14289_acts-of-kindness_he-said-almost-nothing-and-ground-his-te_2652496.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/161/haven-kimmel-14289_acts-of-kindness_he-said-almost-nothing-and-ground-his-te_2652496.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/161/haven-kimmel-14289_acts-of-kindness_he-said-almost-nothing-and-ground-his-te_2652496.jpg) > ““...he said almost nothing, and ground his teeth against his desire to tell them the truth: God is helpless. We are at the mercy of our own radical freedom, and all God can do is take into God's self the grief, the violence, the sublime acts of kindness, the good sex. God comes to us from the future, and has only one godlike gift: the lure. We are lured toward truth, beauty, and goodness...the lure is pulling at our hearts like some lucid joy inside every actual occasion and all we have to do is...Say yes.”” [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God is powerless; humans must choose truth, beauty, goodness despite radical freedom. **In simple terms:** Human freedom demands choosing good. Key Takeaway Embrace the lure of truth and beauty. Themes spirituality freedom ethics Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - artistic creation - moral dilemmas Key Concepts existentialism theology Questions to Reflect On - What does “the lure” mean to you? - How do you act on truth and beauty? A Different Perspective Interpretations of divinity vary widely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acts of kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-kindness/) [Freedom God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-god/) [God Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-comes/) [God Helpless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-helpless-645230/) [God Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-self/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-god/) ## Related quotes > [“God is freedom, God is truth God is power and God is proof God is fashion, God is fame God gives meaning, God gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/god-is-freedom-god-is-truth-god-is-power-and-god-is-proof-god-is/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [“He would have to trust God for that, for he was helpless to do anything about it himself. His grandfather had said that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lee-hatcher/he-would-have-to-trust-god-for-that-for-he-was-helpless-to-do/) [Robin Lee Hatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lee-hatcher/) > [“God is helpless in our area of ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/god-is-helpless-in-our-area-of-ignorance/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [You must come to see how wonderful you are in God and how helpless you are in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-wigglesworth/you-must-come-to-see-how-wonderful-you-are-in-god-and-how-helpless/) [Smith Wigglesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-wigglesworth/) > [Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and God's plans, but God is not helpless among the ruins. God's love is still working. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liddell/circumstances-may-appear-to-wreck-our-lives-and-god-s-plans-but-god-2/) [Eric Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liddell/) > [Work, apart from devotion or love of God, is helpless and cannot stand alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/work-apart-from-devotion-or-love-of-god-is-helpless-and-cannot-stand/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [“God as a helpless baby, he could only lie, stare, wriggle, make noises. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer-2/god-as-a-helpless-baby-he-could-only-lie-stare-wriggle-make-noises/) [J.I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer-2/) > [Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and God’s plans, but God is not helpless among the ruins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liddell/circumstances-may-appear-to-wreck-our-lives-and-god-s-plans-but-god/) [Eric Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liddell/) > [Against stupidity; God Himself is helpless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewish-proverb/against-stupidity-god-himself-is-helpless/) [Jewish Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewish-proverb/) > [“Even though He wants our help, values our help, and calls for our help in changing the world, our all-powerful God is not helpless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nik-ripkin/even-though-he-wants-our-help-values-our-help-and-calls-for-our-help/) [Nik Ripkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nik-ripkin/) > [“Against ignorance, God Himself is helpless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-lawrence/against-ignorance-god-himself-is-helpless/) [R.J. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-lawrence/) > [“I am here, Brethren in Christ, to lead you, every man, woman and little child of the Faith, to freedom. God in His mercy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/i-am-here-brethren-in-christ-to-lead-you-every-man-woman-and-little/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Grace doesn’t free us to live for us. The purpose of God’s grace is not to make your little kingdom of one work better.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/grace-doesn-t-free-us-to-live-for-us-the-purpose-of-god-s-grace-is/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Where true inner freedom is, there is God. And where God is, there we want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/where-true-inner-freedom-is-there-is-god-and-where-god-is-there-we/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“not let sin control the way you live;\* do not give in to sinful desires. 13Do not let any part of your body become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-rikkers/not-let-sin-control-the-way-you-live-do-not-give-in-to-sinful-desires/) [Doris Rikkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-rikkers/) ## More by Haven Kimmel > [“I couldn't for the life of me figure out how long a person had to live, or how good she had to be, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/i-couldn-t-for-the-life-of-me-figure-out-how-long-a-person-had-to/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [On Jesus: "Everyone around me was flat-out in love with him, and who wouldn't be? He was good with animals, he loved his mother,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/on-jesus-everyone-around-me-was-flat-out-in-love-with-him-and-who/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [“...every beautiful and strange event made more poignant for having been photographed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/every-beautiful-and-strange-event-made-more-poignant-for-having-been/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [Ordinarily my mom just sunk deeper into her corner of the couch and ignored it. She had succesfully ignored a quarter of a century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/ordinarily-my-mom-just-sunk-deeper-into-her-corner-of-the-couch-and/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [My hair looks like it had been purchased at a rummage sale after all the real hair was gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/my-hair-looks-like-it-had-been-purchased-at-a-rummage-sale-after-all/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [I honestly believe that people who never have children or never love a child are doomed to a sort of foolishness because it cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/i-honestly-believe-that-people-who-never-have-children-or-never-love/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [“Mooreland is a long way to go to not to be anywhere when you get there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/mooreland-is-a-long-way-to-go-to-not-to-be-anywhere-when-you-get-there/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [My mother was good at reading books, making cinnamon biscuits, and coloring in a coloring book. Also she was a good eater of popcorn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/my-mother-was-good-at-reading-books-making-cinnamon-biscuits-and/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [“. . .Since we were only going to the best place on the Earth, where every single minute of every day was different and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/since-we-were-only-going-to-the-best-place-on-the-earth-where-every/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [But I think that what you'll discover more and more as you get older is that most people aren't thinking about you at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/but-i-think-that-what-you-ll-discover-more-and-more-as-you-get-older/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [Decoupage hit Mooreland pretty hard...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/decoupage-hit-mooreland-pretty-hard/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [I respect every way in which you are a troublemaker, now get up and do what your mother says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/i-respect-every-way-in-which-you-are-a-troublemaker-now-get-up-and-do/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [“He's no John Walton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/he-s-no-john-walton/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [“How is it possible, she thought, that a person can drive a thinking, feeling, animal to slaughter and not become less than an animal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/how-is-it-possible-she-thought-that-a-person-can-drive-a-thinking/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [“He sang like an angel, he was faithful to God and he waited honorably for the wife he believed God chose for him. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/he-sang-like-an-angel-he-was-faithful-to-god-and-he-waited-honorably/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) [Explore all 47 Haven Kimmel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) ## More Acts of kindness quotes > [Our acts of kindness we reserve for our friends, our bounties for our dependants, our riches for our children and relations, our praises for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/our-acts-of-kindness-we-reserve-for-our-friends-our-bounties-for-our/) [Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/) > [Great people create great acts of kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/great-people-create-great-acts-of-kindness/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [“My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/my-wish-for-you-is-that-you-continue-continue-to-be-who-and-how-you/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [On the whole, mental archaeology was a sordid digging proposition. The evil men did endured, the good was infinitely more ephemeral. You could generally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-kieran-reilly/on-the-whole-mental-archaeology-was-a-sordid-digging-proposition-the/) [Helen Kieran Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-kieran-reilly/) > [Every act of kindness and compassion toward others gets multiplied when they, in turn, pass it on. One by one the world becomes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/every-act-of-kindness-and-compassion-toward-others-gets-multiplied/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [There is no small act of kindness. Every compassionate act makes large the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-anne-radmacher/there-is-no-small-act-of-kindness-every-compassionate-act-makes-large/) [Mary Anne Radmacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-anne-radmacher/) > [If we serve Jesus then every act & thought has meaning. Acts of kindness aren’t just niceties, they become acts of worship..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/if-we-serve-jesus-then-every-act-thought-has-meaning-acts-of-kindness/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [Freeedom ain't free...Continue to pay dues with Random acts of kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/freeedom-ain-t-free-continue-to-pay-dues-with-random-acts-of-kindness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-best-portion-of-a-good-man-s-life-is-his-little-nameless/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“Random acts of kindness show that even amidst the hustle and bustle, Paris inhabitants are more welcoming that their reputation gives them credit for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lesage/random-acts-of-kindness-show-that-even-amidst-the-hustle-and-bustle/) [Vicki Lesage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lesage/) > [What are you doing for others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-are-you-doing-for-others/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [You know, you can steel your heart against any kind of trouble, any kind of horror. But the simple act of kindness from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-abani/you-know-you-can-steel-your-heart-against-any-kind-of-trouble-any/) [Chris Abani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-abani/) > [“The smallest act of kindness makes you more beautiful than any expensive dress or make up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/the-smallest-act-of-kindness-makes-you-more-beautiful-than-any/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I realized that social media can be powerful force for good in the world and that acts of kindness can be scaled globally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-jo-martin/i-realized-that-social-media-can-be-powerful-force-for-good-in-the/) [Amy Jo Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-jo-martin/) > [“It was once said that violence is the language of the incompetent. This is something to ponder while remembering that little acts of kindness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-azimov/it-was-once-said-that-violence-is-the-language-of-the-incompetent/) [Sean Azimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-azimov/) [Browse all 264 Acts of kindness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-kindness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...he said almost nothing, and ground his teeth against his desire to tell them the truth: God is helpless. We are at the mercy of our own radical freedom, and all God can do is take into God's self the grief, the violence, the sublime acts of kindness, the good sex. God comes to us from the future, and has only one godlike gift: the lure. 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