--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a believer in forgiveness. I have…" description: "\"I'm a believer in forgiveness. I have worked with people who have been in gangs and now dedicate their lives to helping inner city kids. I've run offen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/jess-phillips-6587_change_i-m-a-believer-in-forgiveness-i-have-wor_304925.jpg" --- # I'm a believer in forgiveness. I have worked with people… ![“I'm a believer in forgiveness. I have worked with people who have been in gangs and now dedicate their lives to helping inner city kids. I've run offender services with teachings of responsibility, empathy and understanding of the victims at their heart. I've seen people change.” quote by Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/jess-phillips-6587_change_i-m-a-believer-in-forgiveness-i-have-wor_304925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/jess-phillips-6587_change_i-m-a-believer-in-forgiveness-i-have-wor_304925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/jess-phillips-6587_change_i-m-a-believer-in-forgiveness-i-have-wor_304925.jpg) > “I'm a believer in forgiveness. I have worked with people who have been in gangs and now dedicate their lives to helping inner city kids. I've run offender services with teachings of responsibility, empathy and understanding of the victims at their heart. I've seen people change.” [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness can transform lives, especially when combined with responsibility and empathy for victims. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness changes people when paired with responsibility and empathy. Key Takeaway Practice forgiveness with empathy and responsibility. Themes forgiveness rehabilitation empathy responsibility social change Mood hopeful determined compassionate Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - working with ex‑gang members - victim‑offender mediation - y programs - personal counseling Key Concepts restorative justice personal transformation community impact Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance accountability with compassion? - What structures support lasting change? A Different Perspective Change can be slow and may face resistance from those unwilling to confront past actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Empathy and understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy-and-understanding/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [People change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-change/) ## Related quotes > [We live in the shadow of crime with the unspoken understanding that we are victims.. of fear, of violence, of social impotence. A man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-miller/we-live-in-the-shadow-of-crime-with-the-unspoken-understanding-that/) [Frank Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-miller/) > [“A believer has forgiveness of sin, and Christ will not cast him out. Sin will ever remain part of the Christian's flesh, as seen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/a-believer-has-forgiveness-of-sin-and-christ-will-not-cast-him-out/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [I think having a diversity of stories is important in also just spreading empathy and understanding. I think it's a really big part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/i-think-having-a-diversity-of-stories-is-important-in-also-just/) [Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/) > [“Do I feel empathy for Trump voters? That’s a question I’ve asked myself a lot. It’s complicated. It’s relatively easy to empathize with hardworking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/do-i-feel-empathy-for-trump-voters-that-s-a-question-i-ve-asked/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Illegitimate hatred loses its power when you see it for what it is. It acts as a vaccine, building immunity against emotional and mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-macdermott/illegitimate-hatred-loses-its-power-when-you-see-it-for-what-it-is-it/) Andrew MacDermott > [“The idea that human beings cannot logically recognize suffering in a chicken, or draw meaningful conclusions about how a human would react to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-davis/the-idea-that-human-beings-cannot-logically-recognize-suffering-in-a/) [Karen Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-davis/) > [“Mirroring provides social cues through body language and behavior which enable us to develop more empathy and understanding for others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/mirroring-provides-social-cues-through-body-language-and-behavior/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [“Humanity is not defined by the languages we speak or the flags we fly, but by the connections we forge through empathy and understanding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camellia-yang/humanity-is-not-defined-by-the-languages-we-speak-or-the-flags-we-fly/) [Camellia Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camellia-yang/) > [If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-we-can-share-our-story-with-someone-who-responds-with-empathy-and/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [We live in an epidemic of self-hatred. I see it daily with people coming at me, and they do it to everybody, it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/we-live-in-an-epidemic-of-self-hatred-i-see-it-daily-with-people/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [Friendship is a living thing that lasts only as long as it is nourished with kindness, empathy and understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendship-is-a-living-thing-that-lasts-only-as-long-as-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All people share the same desire to be treated equally. We all go through similar emotional journeys from love to hate, rejection to acceptance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-tai-soon-burgess/all-people-share-the-same-desire-to-be-treated-equally-we-all-go/) [Dana Tai Soon Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-tai-soon-burgess/) > [“One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/one-doesn-t-have-to-operate-with-great-malice-to-do-great-harm-the/) [Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/) > [The age of warrior kings and of warrior presidents has passed. The nuclear age calls for a different kind of leadership… a leadership of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/the-age-of-warrior-kings-and-of-warrior-presidents-has-passed-the/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [You can be aware and educated and informed, but you've got to place emphasis on being compassionate, having empathy and understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-dooley/you-can-be-aware-and-educated-and-informed-but-you-ve-got-to-place/) [Stacey Dooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-dooley/) ## More by Jess Phillips > [Being in France means that I am surrounded by examples of nationalised services that work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/being-in-france-means-that-i-am-surrounded-by-examples-of/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [Any MP who deals with immigration a huge amount, which I do, is going to worry about giving powers to the executive to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/any-mp-who-deals-with-immigration-a-huge-amount-which-i-do-is-going/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [I made a decision to stop feeling envious of other people, to crack on with my life and stop comparing myself with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/i-made-a-decision-to-stop-feeling-envious-of-other-people-to-crack-on/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [I am manic and that leads me to behave badly at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/i-am-manic-and-that-leads-me-to-behave-badly-at-times/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [I have felt the force of what governments can do. 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I've got an amazing group of friends. Just like any 30-year-old woman I like to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/i-like-to-go-camping-with-my-kids-i-ve-got-an-amazing-group-of/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [Lisa Nandy is absolutely right that we need to devolve economic power away from Westminster and learn from what Labour councils around the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/lisa-nandy-is-absolutely-right-that-we-need-to-devolve-economic-power/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [In every single place I have campaigned in and every single place I have lived, people want some fairly basic things. They want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/in-every-single-place-i-have-campaigned-in-and-every-single-place-i/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [I've made a career out of being able to talk about difficult things, and that comes from growing up in an environment where nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/i-ve-made-a-career-out-of-being-able-to-talk-about-difficult-things/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [Because I sometimes shopped in Waitrose, I thought I was actually quite posh. I've realised that I'm basically a scullery maid. Even the middle-class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/because-i-sometimes-shopped-in-waitrose-i-thought-i-was-actually/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [Every day I receive messages that I'm not good enough, that I should lose my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/every-day-i-receive-messages-that-i-m-not-good-enough-that-i-should/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) [Explore all 98 Jess Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. 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