--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Young man, young man, your arm's too…" description: "\"Young man, young man, your arm's too short to box with God.\" — James Weldon Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-weldon-johnson-10512_god_young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short_314432.png" --- # Young man, young man, your arm's too short to box with God. ![“Young man, young man, your arm's too short to box with God.” quote by James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-weldon-johnson-10512_god_young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short_314432.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-weldon-johnson-10512_god_young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short_314432.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-weldon-johnson-10512_god_young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short_314432.png) > “Young man, young man, your arm's too short to box with God.” [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A young person lacks the strength to confront divine challenges alone. **In simple terms:** Youth may feel inadequate against higher powers. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner strength and seek guidance. Themes spirituality growth humility Mood hopeful reflective Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - religious practice - personal development - mentorship Key Concepts Mythology self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What inner resources can you develop? - How can you balance humility with confidence? A Different Perspective Overreliance on external power can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [... you are a man still young, so to say, in your first youth and so put intellect above everything ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/you-are-a-man-still-young-so-to-say-in-your-first-youth-and-so-put/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [A man is as young as his spinal column.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pilates/a-man-is-as-young-as-his-spinal-column/) [Joseph Pilates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pilates/) > [You don't understand what you're angry about as a young man. You have those young man blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedric-bixler-zavala/you-don-t-understand-what-you-re-angry-about-as-a-young-man-you-have/) [Cedric Bixler-Zavala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedric-bixler-zavala/) > [“The harder life is for a man when he is young, the easier it will be in the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/the-harder-life-is-for-a-man-when-he-is-young-the-easier-it-will-be/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [¢ A man that is young in years may be old in hours, if he has lost no time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/a-man-that-is-young-in-years-may-be-old-in-hours-if-he-has-lost-no/) Unkown > [When you're a young man, a young boy, all you want to be is that action hero; you want to be the James Bond,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lewis/when-you-re-a-young-man-a-young-boy-all-you-want-to-be-is-that-action/) [Matthew Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lewis/) > [An old young man, will be a young old man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/an-old-young-man-will-be-a-young-old-man/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Inside an old man is always a young man, a young man shaped by his friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorna-graham/inside-an-old-man-is-always-a-young-man-a-young-man-shaped-by-his/) Lorna Graham > [A man that is young in years may be old in hours if he have lost no time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/a-man-that-is-young-in-years-may-be-old-in-hours-if-he-have-lost-no/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Until he is forty, a man is too young to marry; and after he is forty, he is too old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-elliot-seawell/until-he-is-forty-a-man-is-too-young-to-marry-and-after-he-is-forty/) Molly Elliot Seawell > [I am a lucky man because when I was young, I wanted to be a footballer. 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If he's over 35 and comes to pick you up looking as though he's headed for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrill-markoe/beware-the-old-man-in-young-guy-s-clothes-if-he-s-over-35-and-comes/) [Merrill Markoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrill-markoe/) > [I was forced to grow up quicker than most. I was forced to be a young man at a young age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-rice/i-was-forced-to-grow-up-quicker-than-most-i-was-forced-to-be-a-young/) [Ray Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-rice/) ## More by James Weldon Johnson > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [Nothing great or enduring, especially in music, has ever sprung full-fledged and unprecedented from the brain of any master; the best he gives to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/nothing-great-or-enduring-especially-in-music-has-ever-sprung-full/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [Lift every voice and sing Till earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of Liberty. Let our rejoicing rise high as the listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/lift-every-voice-and-sing-till-earth-and-heaven-ring-ring-with-the/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [A people may become great through many means, but there is only one measure by which its greatness is recognized and acknowledged. The final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/a-people-may-become-great-through-many-means-but-there-is-only-one/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [Americans are immensely popular in Paris; and this is not due solely to the fact that they spend lots of money there, for they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/americans-are-immensely-popular-in-paris-and-this-is-not-due-solely/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [This Great God, Like a mammy bending over her baby, Kneeled down in the dust Toiling over a lump of clay Till He shaped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/this-great-god-like-a-mammy-bending-over-her-baby-kneeled-down-in-the/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [Shortly after this I was made a member of the boys choir, it being found that I possessed a clear, strong soprano voice. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/shortly-after-this-i-was-made-a-member-of-the-boys-choir-it-being/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [This country can have no more democracy than it accords and guarantees to the humblest and weakest citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/this-country-can-have-no-more-democracy-than-it-accords-and/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [So God stepped over to the edge of the world And He spat out the seven seas; He batted His eyes, and the lightnings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/so-god-stepped-over-to-the-edge-of-the-world-and-he-spat-out-the/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [My mother was kept very busy with her sewing; sometimes she would have another woman helping her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/my-mother-was-kept-very-busy-with-her-sewing-sometimes-she-would-have/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/we-have-come-over-a-way-that-with-tears-has-been-watered-we-have-come/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [O Black and unknown bards of long ago, How came your lips to touch the sacred fire?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/o-black-and-unknown-bards-of-long-ago-how-came-your-lips-to-touch-the/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [Southern white people despise the Negro as a race, and will do nothing to aid in his elevation as such; but for certain individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/southern-white-people-despise-the-negro-as-a-race-and-will-do-nothing/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [Amsterdam was a great surprise to me. I had always thought of Venice as the city of canals; it had never entered my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/amsterdam-was-a-great-surprise-to-me-i-had-always-thought-of-venice/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [The battle was first waged over the right of the Negro to be classed as a human being with a soul; later, as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/the-battle-was-first-waged-over-the-right-of-the-negro-to-be-classed/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) [Explore all 65 James Weldon Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) ## 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. 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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": "Young man, young man, your arm's too short to box with God.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Weldon Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short-to-box-with-god/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short-to-box-with-god/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-weldon-johnson-10512_god_young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short_314432.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-weldon-johnson-10512_god_young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short_314432.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-weldon-johnson-10512_god_young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short_314432.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Young man, young man, your arm's too short to box with God.” — James Weldon Johnson", "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 Weldon Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Young man, young man, your arm's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short-to-box-with-god/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/young-man-young-man-your-arm-s-too-short-to-box-with-god/#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 } } ] } ```