--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The man who is content to sit ignorantly…" description: "\"“The man who is content to sit ignorantly by his own fireside, wrapped up in his own private affairs, and has no public eye for what is going on in the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/j-c-ryle-2-15772_bible_the-man-who-is-content-to-sit-ignorantly_2189452.jpg" --- # The man who is content to sit ignorantly by his own… ![“The man who is content to sit ignorantly by his own fireside, wrapped up in his own private affairs, and has no public eye for what is going on in the Church and the world, is a miserable patriot, and a poor style of Christian. Next to our Bibles and our own hearts, our Lord would have us study…” quote by J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/j-c-ryle-2-15772_bible_the-man-who-is-content-to-sit-ignorantly_2189452.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/j-c-ryle-2-15772_bible_the-man-who-is-content-to-sit-ignorantly_2189452.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/j-c-ryle-2-15772_bible_the-man-who-is-content-to-sit-ignorantly_2189452.jpg) > ““The man who is content to sit ignorantly by his own fireside, wrapped up in his own private affairs, and has no public eye for what is going on in the Church and the world, is a miserable patriot, and a poor style of Christian. Next to our Bibles and our own hearts, our Lord would have us study our own times.”” [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Neglecting societal issues while focusing only on personal concerns makes one a selfish patriot and a poor Christian. **In simple terms:** Ignoring the world’s problems harms faith. Key Takeaway Engage with broader social issues. Themes faith social responsibility patriotism Mood thoughtful reflective Type spiritual ethical When to use this quote - church leadership - community service - political activism - media consumption - education programs Key Concepts Christian ethics public engagement personal vs communal duty Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do believers have to society? - How can faith inspire social action? A Different Perspective Balancing personal devotion with public awareness is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ## Related quotes > [Life of everyone is perpetually stuck between two options. Either be strong or remain ignorantly wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-somany/life-of-everyone-is-perpetually-stuck-between-two-options-either-be/) [Anuj Somany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-somany/) > [“I might ignorantly press someone to pick up the pace and run, when given the nature of their circumstances walking is running.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-might-ignorantly-press-someone-to-pick-up-the-pace-and-run-when/) [Craig D. 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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/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## More by J.C. Ryle > [“It is bad enough to be unconverted and going to hell. It is even worse to say, “I know it and will not cry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/it-is-bad-enough-to-be-unconverted-and-going-to-hell-it-is-even-worse/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“A holy man will follow after meekness, longsuffering, gentleness, patience, kind tempers, government of his tongue. He will bear much, forbear much, overlook much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/a-holy-man-will-follow-after-meekness-longsuffering-gentleness/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“The love of the bible will show itself in a believer's readiness to bear evil as well as to do good. It will make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/the-love-of-the-bible-will-show-itself-in-a-believer-s-readiness-to/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“It is not possible to say too much about Christ. But it is quite possible to say too little about hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/it-is-not-possible-to-say-too-much-about-christ-but-it-is-quite/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“Nothing, surely, is so likely to prepare us for that heaven where Christ's personal presence will be all, and that glory where we shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/nothing-surely-is-so-likely-to-prepare-us-for-that-heaven-where/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“We shall do well to remember that, when we make our own miserably imperfect knowledge and consciousness the measure of our sinfulness, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/we-shall-do-well-to-remember-that-when-we-make-our-own-miserably/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“Myriads of professing Christians nowadays seem utterly unable to distinguish things that differ. 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Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“The heart of man is the same in every age. The spiritual medicine which it requires is always the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/the-heart-of-man-is-the-same-in-every-age-the-spiritual-medicine/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“Una segunda evidencia es que “veía a los prevaricadores” y se contrariaba por lo que veía a su alrededor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/una-segunda-evidencia-es-que-ve-a-a-los-prevaricadores-y-se/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“That sin will never stand firm which is heartily prayed against…We must spread out all our case before our heavenly Physician, if He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/that-sin-will-never-stand-firm-which-is-heartily-prayed-against-we/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“Would I learn how to be contented and cheerful under all the cares and anxieties of life ? What school shall I go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/would-i-learn-how-to-be-contented-and-cheerful-under-all-the-cares/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“The union with Christ which produces no effect on heart and life is a mere formal union, which is worthless before God. The faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/the-union-with-christ-which-produces-no-effect-on-heart-and-life-is-a/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) [Explore all 39 J.C. Ryle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“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/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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