---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We ought always to beware of making the…"
description: "\"We ought always to beware of making the smallest claim for ourselves.\" — John Calvin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/john-calvin-490_beware_we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the_215536.jpg"
---

#  We ought always to beware of making the smallest claim for…

![“We ought always to beware of making the smallest claim for ourselves.” quote by John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/john-calvin-490_beware_we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the_215536.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/john-calvin-490_beware_we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the_215536.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/john-calvin-490_beware_we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the_215536.jpg)

> “We ought always to beware of making the smallest claim for ourselves.”

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Avoid claiming too much for oneself; humility protects against pride.

**In simple terms:** Stay humble.

Key Takeaway

Limit self‑importance.

Themes

humility pride self‑awareness

Mood

reflective serious

Type

theological philosophical

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- career advancement
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

theology ethics human nature

Questions to Reflect On

- When is self‑advocacy appropriate?
- How does humility affect leadership?

A Different Perspective

Excessive humility may undermine confidence; cultural expectations differ.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [Beware how in making the portraiture thou breakest the pattern: for divinity maketh the love of ourselves the pattern; the love of our neighbours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/beware-how-in-making-the-portraiture-thou-breakest-the-pattern-for/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [“Be ware! Santa Claus is a fake profile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/be-ware-santa-claus-is-a-fake-profile/)

[Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/)

> [Beware of the fish people, they are the true enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/beware-of-the-fish-people-they-are-the-true-enemy/)

[Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/)

> [Beware of over-great pleasure in being popular or even beloved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/beware-of-over-great-pleasure-in-being-popular-or-even-beloved/)

[Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/)

> [“I am not afraid of people who say all the wrong things that make others gasp in disbelief. I am afraid of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-am-not-afraid-of-people-who-say-all-the-wrong-things-that-make/)

[C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/)

> [Beware of those who seek constant crowds; they are nothing alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/beware-of-those-who-seek-constant-crowds-they-are-nothing-alone/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“View a Copycat as a Stray Cat.. They stray through the day hunting down prey. They pick up a scent through steel or cement.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-addino/view-a-copycat-as-a-stray-cat-they-stray-through-the-day-hunting-down/)

[Victoria Addino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-addino/)

> [“Beware of paying attention or going back to what you once were, when God wants you to be something that you have never been.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/beware-of-paying-attention-or-going-back-to-what-you-once-were-when/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [“Lies are like ants; there's never just one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ash/lies-are-like-ants-there-s-never-just-one/)

Julia Ash

> [Beware of anyone who tries to please you all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/beware-of-anyone-who-tries-to-please-you-all-the-time/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Beware the power of the dark side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-angleberger/beware-the-power-of-the-dark-side/)

[Tom Angleberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-angleberger/)

> [Beware of the man who will not engage in idle conversation; he is planning to steal your walking stick or water your stock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-emerson/beware-of-the-man-who-will-not-engage-in-idle-conversation-he-is/)

William Emerson

> [Beware of a naked person who promises to buy you clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/beware-of-a-naked-person-who-promises-to-buy-you-clothes/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Beware of the strong possibility that any state of a human, whether good or bad, might be the case of any other fellow human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/beware-of-the-strong-possibility-that-any-state-of-a-human-whether/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

## More by John Calvin

> [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/but-a-most-pernicious-error-widely-prevails-that-scripture-has-only/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [It is no small honour that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in order that we may not only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-is-no-small-honour-that-god-for-our-sake-has-so-magnificently/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [The word "hope" I take for faith; and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-word-hope-i-take-for-faith-and-indeed-hope-is-nothing-else-but/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [No man can come to God but by an extraordinary revelation of the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/no-man-can-come-to-god-but-by-an-extraordinary-revelation-of-the/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [There is nothing in afflictions which ought to disturb our joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-is-nothing-in-afflictions-which-ought-to-disturb-our-joy/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [There cannot be a surer rule, nor a stronger exhortation to the observance of it, than when we are taught that all the endowments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-cannot-be-a-surer-rule-nor-a-stronger-exhortation-to-the/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-surest-source-of-destruction-to-men-is-to-obey-themselves/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [The whole gospel is contained in Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-whole-gospel-is-contained-in-christ/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [For Scripture is the school of the Holy Spirit, in which, as nothing is omitted that is both necessary and useful to know, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-scripture-is-the-school-of-the-holy-spirit-in-which-as-nothing-is/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [“For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against-2/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [If a preacher is not first preaching to himself, better that he falls on the steps of the pulpit and breaks his neck than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/if-a-preacher-is-not-first-preaching-to-himself-better-that-he-falls/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [Again I ask whence it happened that the fall of Adam involved, without remedy, in eternal death so many nations, together with their infant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/again-i-ask-whence-it-happened-that-the-fall-of-adam-involved-without/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [Unless God's Word illumine the way, the whole life of men is wrapped in darkness and mist, so that they cannot but miserably stray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/unless-god-s-word-illumine-the-way-the-whole-life-of-men-is-wrapped/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

[Explore all 520 John Calvin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

## More Beware quotes

> [Beware of the strong possibility that any state of a human, whether good or bad, might be the case of any other fellow human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/beware-of-the-strong-possibility-that-any-state-of-a-human-whether/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [Beware of a naked person who promises to buy you clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/beware-of-a-naked-person-who-promises-to-buy-you-clothes/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Beware of the man who will not engage in idle conversation; he is planning to steal your walking stick or water your stock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-emerson/beware-of-the-man-who-will-not-engage-in-idle-conversation-he-is/)

William Emerson

> [Beware the power of the dark side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-angleberger/beware-the-power-of-the-dark-side/)

[Tom Angleberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-angleberger/)

> [Beware of anyone who tries to please you all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/beware-of-anyone-who-tries-to-please-you-all-the-time/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“Beware of people – who underestimate others because of their feelings of inadequacy – when confronted with them, avoid taking it personally.” “লোকদের থেকে সাবধান থাকুন- যারা তাদের অপর্যাপ্ততার অনুভূতির কারণে অন্যদের অবমূল্যায়ন করে- যখন তাদের সাথে মুখোমুখি হন – ব্যক্তিগতভাবে নেওয়া এড়িয়ে চলুন।”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mozammel-khan/beware-of-people-who-underestimate-others-because-of-their-feelings/)

Mozammel Khan

> [“Lies are like ants; there's never just one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ash/lies-are-like-ants-there-s-never-just-one/)

Julia Ash

> [“Beware of paying attention or going back to what you once were, when God wants you to be something that you have never been.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/beware-of-paying-attention-or-going-back-to-what-you-once-were-when/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [“View a Copycat as a Stray Cat.. They stray through the day hunting down prey. They pick up a scent through steel or cement.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-addino/view-a-copycat-as-a-stray-cat-they-stray-through-the-day-hunting-down/)

[Victoria Addino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-addino/)

> [Beware of those who seek constant crowds; they are nothing alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/beware-of-those-who-seek-constant-crowds-they-are-nothing-alone/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“I am not afraid of people who say all the wrong things that make others gasp in disbelief. I am afraid of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-am-not-afraid-of-people-who-say-all-the-wrong-things-that-make/)

[C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/)

> [Beware of over-great pleasure in being popular or even beloved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/beware-of-over-great-pleasure-in-being-popular-or-even-beloved/)

[Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/)

> [Beware of the fish people, they are the true enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/beware-of-the-fish-people-they-are-the-true-enemy/)

[Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/)

> [“Be ware! Santa Claus is a fake profile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/be-ware-santa-claus-is-a-fake-profile/)

[Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/)

> [Beware of fake relationship, they spell bound and seize you, and leave you to rot alone in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/beware-of-fake-relationship-they-spell-bound-and-seize-you-and-leave/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

Browse all 304 Beware quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We ought always to beware of making the smallest claim for ourselves.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Calvin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the-smallest-claim-for-ourselves/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Beware"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the-smallest-claim-for-ourselves/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/john-calvin-490_beware_we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the_215536.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/john-calvin-490_beware_we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the_215536.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/john-calvin-490_beware_we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the_215536.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We ought always to beware of making the smallest claim for ourselves.” — John Calvin",
                "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 Calvin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We ought always to beware of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the-smallest-claim-for-ourselves/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/we-ought-always-to-beware-of-making-the-smallest-claim-for-ourselves/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```