--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Intelligence and compassion are the heart…" description: "\"“Intelligence and compassion are the heart of what it means to be human. Help others where you can. That is clear enough. But a Creator may well want u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/jack-mcdevitt-8429_compassion_intelligence-and-compassion-are-the-hear_2875063.jpg" --- # Intelligence and compassion are the heart of what it means… ![“Intelligence and compassion are the heart of what it means to be human. Help others where you can. That is clear enough. But a Creator may well want us to open our eyes, as well. If there is a judgment, God may not be particularly interested in how many hymns we sang or what prayers we memorized…” quote by Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/jack-mcdevitt-8429_compassion_intelligence-and-compassion-are-the-hear_2875063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/jack-mcdevitt-8429_compassion_intelligence-and-compassion-are-the-hear_2875063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/jack-mcdevitt-8429_compassion_intelligence-and-compassion-are-the-hear_2875063.jpg) > ““Intelligence and compassion are the heart of what it means to be human. Help others where you can. That is clear enough. But a Creator may well want us to open our eyes, as well. If there is a judgment, God may not be particularly interested in how many hymns we sang or what prayers we memorized. I suspect He may instead look at us and say, “I gave you a brain, and you never used it. I gave you the stars, and you never looked.” —Marcia Tolbert, Centauri Days, 3111 C.E.”” [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligence and compassion define humanity; divine judgment may focus on using gifts, not rituals. **In simple terms:** Being kind and smart matters more than worship. Key Takeaway Use your mind and heart to explore. Themes humanity spirituality purpose Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - volunteering - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts moral philosophy existential meaning Questions to Reflect On - What talents are you neglecting? - How can you apply compassion daily? A Different Perspective May overlook cultural or religious perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-heart-1734505/) [Eyes Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-judgment-2657685/) [Help others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-others/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-compassion-2123173/) [Judgment God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment-god-707356/) [Open Our Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-our-eyes/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Ur Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ur-eyes/) ## Related quotes > [Wisdom is nothing more than the marriage of intelligence and compassion. And, as with all good unions, it takes much experience and time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/wisdom-is-nothing-more-than-the-marriage-of-intelligence-and/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [If you really want to know what's happening here and now, you've got to use your own eyes and your own judgment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-really-want-to-know-what-s-happening-here-and-now-you-ve-got/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Using your intelligence and your compassion, you’ll be able to find your way out of any difficulty that arises in daily life. This gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/using-your-intelligence-and-your-compassion-you-ll-be-able-to-find/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Sometimes she could swear that she saw, in Joe Grey's eyes, a judgment far too perceptive, a watchfulness too aware and intense for any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-rousseau-murphy/sometimes-she-could-swear-that-she-saw-in-joe-grey-s-eyes-a-judgment/) [Shirley Rousseau Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-rousseau-murphy/) > [Are you trying to grasp the quality of intelligence, compassion, the immense sense of beauty, the perfume of love and that truth which has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/are-you-trying-to-grasp-the-quality-of-intelligence-compassion-the/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“And by focusing on the character of the victim, we inadvertently take the focus off the powerful and instead train our eyes and judgment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-lowery/and-by-focusing-on-the-character-of-the-victim-we-inadvertently-take/) [Wesley Lowery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-lowery/) > [The only way to learn compassion is through your heart; you have to back up and pass through your own pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/the-only-way-to-learn-compassion-is-through-your-heart-you-have-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [Happiness can not found in wealthy friends, it will find to a friend having faithful and true compassion heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/happiness-can-not-found-in-wealthy-friends-it-will-find-to-a-friend/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [When God puts love and compassion in your heart toward someone, He’s offering you an opportunity to make a difference in that person’s life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/when-god-puts-love-and-compassion-in-your-heart-toward-someone-he-s/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/grief-can-be-the-garden-of-compassion-if-you-keep-your-heart-open/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Compassion is the heart of humanity, but unfortunately, today it is also a victim of global warmingand are slowly being melted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/compassion-is-the-heart-of-humanity-but-unfortunately-today-it-is/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“Happiness is a function of compassion. If you do not have compassion in your heart, you do not have any happiness. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/happiness-is-a-function-of-compassion-if-you-do-not-have-compassion/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [If you had a compassionate heart àyou will never tell where it will lead you. It may lead you to an adventure, to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marwa/if-you-had-a-compassionate-heart-you-will-never-tell-where-it-will/) [Marwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marwa/) > [When there's something that impacts a family member or friend, that is difficult for them, you want to do what you can to help.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/when-there-s-something-that-impacts-a-family-member-or-friend-that-is/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [“If we don't use our daily life as a practice, nothing is ever going to change. It's not enough to just go to Dharma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-tenzin-palmo/if-we-don-t-use-our-daily-life-as-a-practice-nothing-is-ever-going-to/) [Ani Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-tenzin-palmo/) ## More by Jack McDevitt > [The queen of virtues is the recognition of one's own flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/the-queen-of-virtues-is-the-recognition-of-one-s-own-flaws/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Tides are like politics. They come and go with a great deal of fuss and noise, but inevitably they leave the beach just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/tides-are-like-politics-they-come-and-go-with-a-great-deal-of-fuss/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Talking with most people usually involves a search for truth. Talking with congressmen is strictly special effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/talking-with-most-people-usually-involves-a-search-for-truth-talking/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [The real problem has to do with the inability by people to admit that a position they've held a long time might be wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/the-real-problem-has-to-do-with-the-inability-by-people-to-admit-that/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Lies hold civilization together. If people ever seriously begin telling each other what they really think, there'd be no peace. Good-bye to tact. Good-bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/lies-hold-civilization-together-if-people-ever-seriously-begin/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Science fiction writers missed the most salient feature of our modern era: the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/science-fiction-writers-missed-the-most-salient-feature-of-our-modern/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [ “...those whose tastes run to personal power \[can\] never be trusted to act save in the pursuit of their own ambition.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/those-whose-tastes-run-to-personal-power-can-never-be-trusted-to-act/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Solitude is only a good idea if you have the right people along to share it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/solitude-is-only-a-good-idea-if-you-have-the-right-people-along-to/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Universal deities ... never seem to smile. Not in any culture. What's the point of having omnipotence if you don't enjoy it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/universal-deities-never-seem-to-smile-not-in-any-culture-what-s-the/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Technological civilizations don't last long. You're all right until you get a printing press. Then a race starts between technology and common sense. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/technological-civilizations-don-t-last-long-you-re-all-right-until/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [My father used to take me to the movies on Saturdays. In 1940, when I was four years old, we encountered 'Flash Gordon Conquers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/my-father-used-to-take-me-to-the-movies-on-saturdays-in-1940-when-i/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Of course, they (i. e., demons) had always been observed with some regularity, but that could usually be ascribed to an overabundance of piety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/of-course-they-i-e-demons-had-always-been-observed-with-some/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [If you want creative and successful children, resign yourself to jousting with rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/if-you-want-creative-and-successful-children-resign-yourself-to/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [There is no justice. There are occasional acts of vengeance, or regret, but there's no real justice. In the natural scheme of things, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/there-is-no-justice-there-are-occasional-acts-of-vengeance-or-regret/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [I was once invited to attend a private dinner for Senator John F. Kennedy. But it was a Saturday evening, and I passed. Had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/i-was-once-invited-to-attend-a-private-dinner-for-senator-john-f/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) [Explore all 81 Jack McDevitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Intelligence and compassion are the heart of what it means to be human. 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