--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man has a right to picture God…" description: "\"A man has a right to picture God according to his need, whatever it be.\" — Henry Ward Beecher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/henry-ward-beecher-175_god_a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-accordi_1423075.png" --- # A man has a right to picture God according to his need… ![“A man has a right to picture God according to his need, whatever it be.” quote by Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/henry-ward-beecher-175_god_a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-accordi_1423075.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/henry-ward-beecher-175_god_a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-accordi_1423075.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/henry-ward-beecher-175_god_a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-accordi_1423075.png) > “A man has a right to picture God according to his need, whatever it be.” [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that individuals can conceptualize the divine in ways that satisfy personal needs, highlighting the subjective nature of religious belief. **In simple terms:** People picture God to suit their needs. Key Takeaway Respect diverse spiritual perspectives. Themes faith subjectivity personal belief Mood inspirational respectful Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal prayer - interfaith dialogue - artistic representation - educational curricula - spiritual counseling Key Concepts theology psychology cultural anthropology Questions to Reflect On - How does personal need shape one's view of God? - Can differing images coexist peacefully? A Different Perspective Subjective images of God may conflict with doctrinal teachings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [We get so concerned about finding the right picture, the right frame, that...we don't get the right memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-get-so-concerned-about-finding-the-right-picture-the-right-frame/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a million miles away, and at the same time I'm right here in your picture frame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-m-a-million-miles-away-and-at-the-same-time-i-m-right-here-in-your/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [Me not working hard? Yeah, right - picture that with a Kodak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-gronkowski/me-not-working-hard-yeah-right-picture-that-with-a-kodak/) [Rob Gronkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-gronkowski/) > [Me not working hard? Yea right picture that with a kodak and better yet, go to times square. Take a picture of me with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrojack/me-not-working-hard-yea-right-picture-that-with-a-kodak-and-better/) [Afrojack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrojack/) > [If there was a god, he wouldn't let a guy walk right up and shoot you in the face now would he? That's right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/if-there-was-a-god-he-wouldn-t-let-a-guy-walk-right-up-and-shoot-you/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“From each according to their ability, to each according to their need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/from-each-according-to-their-ability-to-each-according-to-their-need/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/from-each-according-to-his-ability-to-each-according-to-his-need/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let each produce according to his aptitudes and his force; let each consume according to his need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-blanc/let-each-produce-according-to-his-aptitudes-and-his-force-let-each/) Louis Blanc > [The real meaning of economic equality is "To each according to his need."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-real-meaning-of-economic-equality-is-to-each-according-to-his-need/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“God’s mercy is new every morning, and, like manna in the wilderness, He apportions it according to our need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/god-s-mercy-is-new-every-morning-and-like-manna-in-the-wilderness-he/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“…he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/he-who-gathered-much-had-nothing-left-over-and-he-who-gathered-little/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [Unless you have money today, you cannot live life according to your need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-creme/unless-you-have-money-today-you-cannot-live-life-according-to-your/) [Benjamin Creme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-creme/) > [Man is closer to God according to his existence in grace than he is according to his existence in nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/man-is-closer-to-god-according-to-his-existence-in-grace-than-he-is/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Everything flows from God, but we are limited by imposing our human perceptions upon him. Man designs God according to his own image and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobsha-learner/everything-flows-from-god-but-we-are-limited-by-imposing-our-human/) [Tobsha Learner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobsha-learner/) > [Everyone ought to worship God according to his own inclinations, and not to be constrained by force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephus/everyone-ought-to-worship-god-according-to-his-own-inclinations-and/) [Josephus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephus/) ## More by Henry Ward Beecher > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/even-a-liar-tells-a-hundred-truths-to-one-lie-he-has-to-to-make-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [In America there is not one single element of civilization that is not made to depend, in the end, upon public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/in-america-there-is-not-one-single-element-of-civilization-that-is/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The best lessons a man ever learns are from his mistakes. It is not for want of schoolmasters that we are still ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-best-lessons-a-man-ever-learns-are-from-his-mistakes-it-is-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [THERE are joys which long to be ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-are-joys-which-long-to-be-ours/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [People may talk about the equality of the sexes! They are not equal. The silent smile of a sensible, loving woman will vanquish ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/people-may-talk-about-the-equality-of-the-sexes-they-are-not-equal/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirthfulness is in the mind and you cannot get it out. It is just as good in its place as conscience or veneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirthfulness-is-in-the-mind-and-you-cannot-get-it-out-it-is-just-as/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirth-is-god-s-medicine-everybody-ought-to-bathe-in-it/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Some of God's noblest sons, I think, will be selected from those that know how to take wealth, with all its temptations, and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/some-of-god-s-noblest-sons-i-think-will-be-selected-from-those-that/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You have seen a ship out on the bay, swinging with the tide, and seeming as if it would follow it; and yet it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/you-have-seen-a-ship-out-on-the-bay-swinging-with-the-tide-and/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) [Explore all 990 Henry Ward Beecher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man has a right to picture God according to his need, whatever it be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Ward Beecher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-according-to-his-need-whatever-it-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-according-to-his-need-whatever-it-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/henry-ward-beecher-175_god_a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-accordi_1423075.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/henry-ward-beecher-175_god_a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-accordi_1423075.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/henry-ward-beecher-175_god_a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-accordi_1423075.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man has a right to picture God according to his need, whatever it be.” — Henry Ward Beecher", "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": "Henry Ward Beecher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A man has a right to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-according-to-his-need-whatever-it-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-man-has-a-right-to-picture-god-according-to-his-need-whatever-it-be/#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 } } ] } ```