--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Deeds that seemed unimportant at the time…" description: "\"Deeds that seemed unimportant at the time would prove to have been momentous; a tiny act of selfishness and unkindness or, conversely, an unconsidered ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/karen-armstrong-1053_deeds_deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-tim_2592498.jpg" --- # Deeds that seemed unimportant at the time would prove to… ![“Deeds that seemed unimportant at the time would prove to have been momentous; a tiny act of selfishness and unkindness or, conversely, an unconsidered act of generosity would become the measure of a human life” quote by Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/karen-armstrong-1053_deeds_deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-tim_2592498.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/karen-armstrong-1053_deeds_deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-tim_2592498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/karen-armstrong-1053_deeds_deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-tim_2592498.jpg) > “Deeds that seemed unimportant at the time would prove to have been momentous; a tiny act of selfishness and unkindness or, conversely, an unconsidered act of generosity would become the measure of a human life” [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small actions, whether kind or cruel, accumulate to define a person's legacy. **In simple terms:** Tiny deeds shape a life. Key Takeaway Cultivate intentional kindness. Themes ethics legacy human behavior Mood reflective inspirational Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - parenting - leadership - policy making Key Concepts moral philosophy butterfly effect social impact Questions to Reflect On - Which small act could change your reputation? - How do you balance intent and outcome? A Different Perspective Good intentions can be misinterpreted without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Unkindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unkindness/) ## Related quotes > [Words that do not match deeds are unimportant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernesto-che-guevara/words-that-do-not-match-deeds-are-unimportant/) [Ernesto Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernesto-che-guevara/) > [The desire of gratitude for helping others, taints the entire act with selfishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-jay-taylor/the-desire-of-gratitude-for-helping-others-taints-the-entire-act-with/) [T Jay Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-jay-taylor/) > [Suicide to them is an act of selfishness. Someone who is truly selfless does not think of himself often enough to desire death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/suicide-to-them-is-an-act-of-selfishness-someone-who-is-truly/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Getting enough of what you want without depriving anyone else is the ultimate act of selfishness and sanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-browne/getting-enough-of-what-you-want-without-depriving-anyone-else-is-the/) [Joy Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-browne/) > [Failing to hold someone accountable is ultimately an act of selfishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/failing-to-hold-someone-accountable-is-ultimately-an-act-of/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [“He asked me not to kill myself - asked, not told. His wife had done that, he told me, and it was in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/he-asked-me-not-to-kill-myself-asked-not-told-his-wife-had-done-that/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [Being sorry is the highest act of selfishness, seeing value only after discarding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-horton/being-sorry-is-the-highest-act-of-selfishness-seeing-value-only-after/) [Douglas Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-horton/) > [I tremble for our world, where, in the smallest ways, we find it impossible, as Marshall Hodgson enjoined, to find room for the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-tremble-for-our-world-where-in-the-smallest-ways-we-find-it/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Every single one of the major world faiths, whether we're talking about Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Darwinism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have all come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/every-single-one-of-the-major-world-faiths-whether-we-re-talking/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“If somebody treats you with unkindness, if they judge or criticize you, it’s likely they have endured similar treatment from others in the past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foster/if-somebody-treats-you-with-unkindness-if-they-judge-or-criticize-you/) [Jeff Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foster/) > [“A nod at Beatrice who held absolutely still. "She said she would come with me. She insisted on it. She stamped her little foot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mette-ivie-harrison/a-nod-at-beatrice-who-held-absolutely-still-she-said-she-would-come/) [Mette Ivie Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mette-ivie-harrison/) > [He who has once stood beside the grave, to look back upon the companionship which has been forever closed, feeling how impotent there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/he-who-has-once-stood-beside-the-grave-to-look-back-upon-the/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [When the milk of human kindness turns sour, it is a singularly unpalatable draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/when-the-milk-of-human-kindness-turns-sour-it-is-a-singularly/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [“You would think those who have endured unkindness would be kinder as a result, intent on sparing others the awful suffering they abhorred firsthand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/you-would-think-those-who-have-endured-unkindness-would-be-kinder-as/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) ## More by Karen Armstrong > [If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-attention-a-novel-like-a-myth/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [A gentleman is not born but crafted. He had to work on himself in the same way as a sculptor shaped a rough stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/a-gentleman-is-not-born-but-crafted-he-had-to-work-on-himself-in-the/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I was a lousy nun. I couldn't do it. I couldn't find God. It wasn't suitable for me. It is suitable for very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-was-a-lousy-nun-i-couldn-t-do-it-i-couldn-t-find-god-it-wasn-t/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [In the past some of the most influential Jewish, Christian and Muslim theologians, such as Maimonides, Aquinas and Ibn Sina, made it clear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/in-the-past-some-of-the-most-influential-jewish-christian-and-muslim/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [The great task of our time is to build a global society, where people can live together in peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-great-task-of-our-time-is-to-build-a-global-society-where-people/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. We want to create a grassroots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders-or-the-bishops-or-chief/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [If we don't manage to implement the Golden Rule globally, so that we treat all peoples, wherever and whoever they may be, as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-we-don-t-manage-to-implement-the-golden-rule-globally-so-that-we/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [After I left the convent, for 15 years I was worn out with religion, I wanted nothing whatever to do with it. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/after-i-left-the-convent-for-15-years-i-was-worn-out-with-religion-i/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“As we have seen, so many of the things we once took for granted have proved unreliable that we may have to “forget” old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/as-we-have-seen-so-many-of-the-things-we-once-took-for-granted-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Yet a personal God can become a grave liability. He can be a mere idol carved in our own image, a projection of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/yet-a-personal-god-can-become-a-grave-liability-he-can-be-a-mere-idol/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“I discovered that I felt at home and alive in the silence, which compelled me to enter my interior world and around there. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-discovered-that-i-felt-at-home-and-alive-in-the-silence-which/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Each of the world religions has its own particular genius, its own special insight into the nature and requirements of compassion, and has something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/each-of-the-world-religions-has-its-own-particular-genius-its-own/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“all rightly guided religion that submitted wholly to God, refused to worship man-made deities and preached that justice and equality came from the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/all-rightly-guided-religion-that-submitted-wholly-to-god-refused-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“advocates of evolutionary theory since Thomas H. Huxley (1825–95) have found altruism problematic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/advocates-of-evolutionary-theory-since-thomas-h-huxley-1825-95-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) [Explore all 296 Karen Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## More Deeds quotes > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) Donald P. Ryan > [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Somehow, what's in our hearts, good or bad is eventually translated into words and deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/somehow-what-s-in-our-hearts-good-or-bad-is-eventually-translated/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-oft-the-sight-of-means-to-do-ill-deeds-makes-ill-deeds-done/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A nation of character is filled with citizens who gradually build lives based on the living awareness that their deeds are judged by eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/a-nation-of-character-is-filled-with-citizens-who-gradually-build/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [The final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/the-final-estimate-of-men-shows-that-history-cares-not-an-iota-for/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) [Browse all 2,029 Deeds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Deeds that seemed unimportant at the time would prove to have been momentous; a tiny act of selfishness and unkindness or, conversely, an unconsidered act of generosity would become the measure of a human life", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karen Armstrong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-time-would-prove-to-have-been/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deeds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-time-would-prove-to-have-been/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/karen-armstrong-1053_deeds_deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-tim_2592498.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/karen-armstrong-1053_deeds_deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-tim_2592498.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/karen-armstrong-1053_deeds_deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-tim_2592498.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Deeds that seemed unimportant at the time would prove to have been momentous; a tiny act of selfishness and…” — Karen Armstrong", "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": "Karen Armstrong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Deeds that seemed unimportant at the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-time-would-prove-to-have-been/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/deeds-that-seemed-unimportant-at-the-time-would-prove-to-have-been/#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 } } ] } ```