--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This command seems to me to be strictly a…" description: "\"This command seems to me to be strictly a missionary injunction, and, as far as I can see, those to whom it was first delivered regarded it in that lig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/james-gilmour-43980_choices_this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly_2761694.png" --- # This command seems to me to be strictly a missionary… ![“This command seems to me to be strictly a missionary injunction, and, as far as I can see, those to whom it was first delivered regarded it in that light, so that, apart altogether from choice and other lower reasons, my going forth is a matter of obedience to a plain command; and in place of…” quote by James Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/james-gilmour-43980_choices_this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly_2761694.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/james-gilmour-43980_choices_this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly_2761694.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/james-gilmour-43980_choices_this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly_2761694.png) > “This command seems to me to be strictly a missionary injunction, and, as far as I can see, those to whom it was first delivered regarded it in that light, so that, apart altogether from choice and other lower reasons, my going forth is a matter of obedience to a plain command; and in place of seeking to assign a reason for going abroad, I would prefer to say that I have failed to discover any reason why I should stay at home.” [James Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gilmour/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker views his travel as obedience to a clear directive, not driven by personal motives, and cannot find a reason to remain at home. **In simple terms:** He feels compelled to go because of a command, not personal desire. Key Takeaway Accept duty when purpose is unclear. Themes obedience mission purpose travel Mood reflective determined Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - religious missions - career decisions - life transitions Key Concepts missionary work personal calling duty Questions to Reflect On - What drives you more: external commands or internal goals? - Is obedience always the best guide? A Different Perspective May overlook personal well‑being or alternative paths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Command](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/command/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Obedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-obedience-2681036/) [Missionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missionary/) [Missionary Injunction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missionary-injunction-3174471/) [Obedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience/) [Obedience Plain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience-plain-3174472/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-why/) [Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeking/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Stay at home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-at-home/) [Strictly Missionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strictly-missionary-3174473/) ## Related quotes > [This command seems to me to be strictly a missionary injunction; so that, apart altogether from choice and other lower reasons, my going forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly-a-missionary-injunction-so/) [James Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gilmour/) > [...in place of seeking a reason for going abroad, I would prefer to say that I have failed to discover any reason why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/in-place-of-seeking-a-reason-for-going-abroad-i-would-prefer-to-say/) [James Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gilmour/) > [“Serving God is not a matter of location, but a matter of obedience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nik-ripken/serving-god-is-not-a-matter-of-location-but-a-matter-of-obedience/) [Nik Ripken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nik-ripken/) > [The wife's submission is not a matter of superior versus inferior; rather, it is self-imposed as a matter of obedience to the Lord and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pearce/the-wife-s-submission-is-not-a-matter-of-superior-versus-inferior/) [Steve Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pearce/) > [“It is a simply matter of obedience. If He is our Lord, then we will obey Him. If we do not obey Him, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nik-ripken/it-is-a-simply-matter-of-obedience-if-he-is-our-lord-then-we-will/) [Nik Ripken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nik-ripken/) > [“The soul is no traveller; the wise man stays at home, and when his necessities, his duties, on any occasion call him from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-soul-is-no-traveller-the-wise-man-stays-at-home-and-when-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Don't wonder whether you have a call to go. Have you had a distinct call from Christ to stay at home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wilson/don-t-wonder-whether-you-have-a-call-to-go-have-you-had-a-distinct/) [George Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wilson/) > [If in the sight of God you cannot say you are sure that you have a special call to stay at home, why are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-taylor/if-in-the-sight-of-god-you-cannot-say-you-are-sure-that-you-have-a/) [Hudson Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-taylor/) > [I thought it reasonable that I should seek the work where the work was the most abundant and the workers fewest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/i-thought-it-reasonable-that-i-should-seek-the-work-where-the-work/) [James Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gilmour/) > [To me the soul of an Indian seemed as precious as the soul of an Englishman, and the Gospel as much for the Chinese…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/to-me-the-soul-of-an-indian-seemed-as-precious-as-the-soul-of-an/) [James Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gilmour/) > [We became a congresswoman, a stay-at-home mom, a filmmaker, and a journalist. And Lino and I taught our children that they could rise to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-degette/we-became-a-congresswoman-a-stay-at-home-mom-a-filmmaker-and-a/) [Diana DeGette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-degette/) > [I do a one-hour workout called Drenched, a cardio-boxing fitness routine, Monday through Friday. There are usually between twenty-five and fifty people there -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-ann-inaba/i-do-a-one-hour-workout-called-drenched-a-cardio-boxing-fitness/) [Carrie Ann Inaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-ann-inaba/) > [Some men are born husbands; they have a passion for domesticity, for a fireside, for a home. Yet, curiously, these men very rarely stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-leverson/some-men-are-born-husbands-they-have-a-passion-for-domesticity-for-a/) [Ada Leverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-leverson/) > [I've nothing against stay-at-home mums, but I love going to work, I love what I do and I wouldn't want to start resenting my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keeley-hawes/i-ve-nothing-against-stay-at-home-mums-but-i-love-going-to-work-i/) [Keeley Hawes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keeley-hawes/) > [When youre a stay-at-home mother you have to pretend its really boring, but its not. Its enriching and fulfilling, and an amazing experience. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/when-youre-a-stay-at-home-mother-you-have-to-pretend-its-really/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) ## More by James Gilmour > [...in place of seeking a reason for going abroad, I would prefer to say that I have failed to discover any reason why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/in-place-of-seeking-a-reason-for-going-abroad-i-would-prefer-to-say/) [James Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gilmour/) > [Do not we rest in our day too much on the arm of flesh? 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This command seems to me to be strictly a missionary injunction, and, as far as I can see, those to whom it was first delivered regarded it in that light, so that, apart altogether from choice and other lower reasons, my going forth is a matter of obedience to a plain command; and in place of seeking to assign a reason for going abroad, I would prefer to say that I have failed to discover any reason why I should stay at home.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Gilmour" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly-a-missionary-injunction-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly-a-missionary-injunction-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/james-gilmour-43980_choices_this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly_2761694.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/james-gilmour-43980_choices_this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly_2761694.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/james-gilmour-43980_choices_this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly_2761694.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This command seems to me to be strictly a missionary injunction, and, as far as I can see, those to whom it…” — James Gilmour", "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": "James Gilmour", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gilmour/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This command seems to me to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly-a-missionary-injunction-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/this-command-seems-to-me-to-be-strictly-a-missionary-injunction-and/#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 } } ] } ```