--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humility is the light of understanding." description: "\"Humility is the light of understanding.\" — John Bunyan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/john-bunyan-1055_humility_humility-is-the-light-of-understanding-4_429598.jpg" --- # Humility is the light of understanding. ![“Humility is the light of understanding.” quote by John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/john-bunyan-1055_humility_humility-is-the-light-of-understanding-4_429598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/john-bunyan-1055_humility_humility-is-the-light-of-understanding-4_429598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/john-bunyan-1055_humility_humility-is-the-light-of-understanding-4_429598.jpg) > “Humility is the light of understanding.” [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humility opens the mind to true understanding. **In simple terms:** Humility leads to understanding. Key Takeaway Practice humility. Themes humility wisdom learning Mood thoughtful inspirational Type ethical spiritual When to use this quote - education - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy spirituality Questions to Reflect On - When have you seen humility change a situation? - Can humility coexist with confidence? A Different Perspective Humility can be mistaken for weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [Humility is the light of the understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/humility-is-the-light-of-the-understanding/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [The Bible is the light of my understanding, the joy of my heart, the fullness of my hope, the clarified of my affections, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jones/the-bible-is-the-light-of-my-understanding-the-joy-of-my-heart-the/) [William Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jones/) > [The light of the understanding, humility kindleth and pride covereth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-light-of-the-understanding-humility-kindleth-and-pride-covereth/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [One day, may we all meet together in the light of understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/one-day-may-we-all-meet-together-in-the-light-of-understanding/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [To seek yourself in this world is to be lost; and to be humble is to be exalted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/to-seek-yourself-in-this-world-is-to-be-lost-and-to-be-humble-is-to/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [No man, without trials and temptations, can attain a true understanding of the Holy Scriptures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/no-man-without-trials-and-temptations-can-attain-a-true-understanding/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Our knowledge and understanding of nonhuman animals is polluted far more than we acknowledge by our belief in our own superiority, our unrecognized cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-tuttle/our-knowledge-and-understanding-of-nonhuman-animals-is-polluted-far/) [Will Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-tuttle/) > [“True humility is fearless honesty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/true-humility-is-fearless-honesty/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Bear in mind that humility is not timidity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/bear-in-mind-that-humility-is-not-timidity/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God, first fill your own house with the fragrance of love. Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/go-not-to-the-temple-to-put-flowers-upon-the-feet-of-god-first-fill/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [A man's praise limits its object to the confines of his own understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-man-s-praise-limits-its-object-to-the-confines-of-his-own/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Change your thoughts, change your life. —LAO TZU When I was fighting depression, I remember hearing this expression and not understanding it at first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/change-your-thoughts-change-your-life-lao-tzu-when-i-was-fighting/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Mediocre men often have the most acquired knowledge. It is in the darker. It is in the darker regions of science that great men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/mediocre-men-often-have-the-most-acquired-knowledge-it-is-in-the/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More by John Bunyan > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [To seek yourself in this world is to be lost; and to be humble is to be exalted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/to-seek-yourself-in-this-world-is-to-be-lost-and-to-be-humble-is-to/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“it is common for those that have called themselves His servants, after awhile to give Him the slip, and return again to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/it-is-common-for-those-that-have-called-themselves-his-servants-after/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [A comely sight indeed it is to see, a world of blossoms on an apple tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/a-comely-sight-indeed-it-is-to-see-a-world-of-blossoms-on-an-apple/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“The preeminent job of the church is to equip Christian for life's challenges. This requires the emphasis on being fitted with tested armor. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-preeminent-job-of-the-church-is-to-equip-christian-for-life-s/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“So he had them into the slaughter house, where was a butcher killing a sheep. And behold, the sheep was quiet and took her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/so-he-had-them-into-the-slaughter-house-where-was-a-butcher-killing-a/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [I will stay in prison till the moss grows on my eye lids rather than disobey God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/i-will-stay-in-prison-till-the-moss-grows-on-my-eye-lids-rather-than/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“...I am for going on, and venturing my eternal state with Christ, whether I have comfort here or no; if God doth not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/i-am-for-going-on-and-venturing-my-eternal-state-with-christ-whether/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“Evangelist spoke from his heart with great passion. “You cannot be justified by the works of the law, because it isn’t how one follows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/evangelist-spoke-from-his-heart-with-great-passion-you-cannot-be/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [God speaks once, yea twice, yet Man perceiveth it not, in a Dream, in a Vision of the night, when deep Sleep falleth upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/god-speaks-once-yea-twice-yet-man-perceiveth-it-not-in-a-dream-in-a/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [No man, without trials and temptations, can attain a true understanding of the Holy Scriptures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/no-man-without-trials-and-temptations-can-attain-a-true-understanding/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Afflictions make the heart more deep, more experimental, more knowing and profound, and so, more able to hold, to contain, and beat more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/afflictions-make-the-heart-more-deep-more-experimental-more-knowing/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“It is the glory of the next world that will never wear out, while the good things of this world will vanish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/it-is-the-glory-of-the-next-world-that-will-never-wear-out-while-the/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [It is possible to learn all about the mysteries of the Bible and never be affected by it in one's soul. Great knowledge is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/it-is-possible-to-learn-all-about-the-mysteries-of-the-bible-and/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“This hill, though high, I covet to ascend; The difficulty will not me offend. For I perceive the way to life lies here. Come,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/this-hill-though-high-i-covet-to-ascend-the-difficulty-will-not-me/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) [Explore all 299 John Bunyan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) ## More Humility quotes > [You just have to stay humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-jackson/you-just-have-to-stay-humble/) [Lamar Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-jackson/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It's a great lesson in modesty that you realize you're illiterate in a field that you think you're an expert in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-wenders/it-s-a-great-lesson-in-modesty-that-you-realize-you-re-illiterate-in/) [Wim Wenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-wenders/) > [The more holy, the more humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-the-more-humble/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But, like all indulgences that are valued not just for their product but for their process, the sento will never entirely disappear. For in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/but-like-all-indulgences-that-are-valued-not-just-for-their-product/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“Humility and Trustworthiness are not rooted only in Presentation, Voice modulation or Nice Jorgan but in Actions and Intentions that speak louder than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venkat-gandhi/humility-and-trustworthiness-are-not-rooted-only-in-presentation/) [Venkat Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venkat-gandhi/) > [I think being vulnerable paves the way for humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sadowski/i-think-being-vulnerable-paves-the-way-for-humility/) [Jonathan Sadowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sadowski/) > [I need to look like an idiot at least twice a day to keep myself humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-need-to-look-like-an-idiot-at-least-twice-a-day-to-keep-myself/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“I am waiting for the meek to be blessed and inherit the earth... without taxes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-am-waiting-for-the-meek-to-be-blessed-and-inherit-the-earth-without/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Rukmini Devi was an icon for all the Bharat Natyam students at Kalakshetra. I grew up watching her at dance school and I associate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/rukmini-devi-was-an-icon-for-all-the-bharat-natyam-students-at/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [“Oh where is the noble face of modesty, or the strength of virtue, now that blasphemy is in power and men have put justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/oh-where-is-the-noble-face-of-modesty-or-the-strength-of-virtue-now/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Modesty is the gentle art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-herford/modesty-is-the-gentle-art-of-enhancing-your-charm-by-pretending-not/) [Oliver Herford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-herford/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [To be part of the creation, I must act humbly. I'll take that over a goddess any day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-o-hara/to-be-part-of-the-creation-i-must-act-humbly-i-ll-take-that-over-a/) [Maureen O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-o-hara/) [Browse all 4,759 Humility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Humility is the light of understanding.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Bunyan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/humility-is-the-light-of-understanding/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Humility" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/humility-is-the-light-of-understanding/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/john-bunyan-1055_humility_humility-is-the-light-of-understanding-4_429598.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/john-bunyan-1055_humility_humility-is-the-light-of-understanding-4_429598.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/john-bunyan-1055_humility_humility-is-the-light-of-understanding-4_429598.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Humility is the light of understanding.” — John Bunyan", "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": "John Bunyan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Humility is the light of understanding.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/humility-is-the-light-of-understanding/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/humility-is-the-light-of-understanding/#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 } } ] } ```