--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of God's central qualities is…" description: "\"One of God's central qualities is compassion, a word that in Hebrew is related to the word for \"womb.\" Not only is compassion a female image suggesting..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/marcus-borg-23822_children_one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compas_2537509.png" --- # One of God's central qualities is compassion, a word that… ![“One of God's central qualities is compassion, a word that in Hebrew is related to the word for "womb." Not only is compassion a female image suggesting source of life and nourishment but it also has a feeling dimension: God as compassionate Spirit feels for us as a mother feels for the children of…” quote by Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/marcus-borg-23822_children_one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compas_2537509.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/marcus-borg-23822_children_one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compas_2537509.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/marcus-borg-23822_children_one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compas_2537509.png) > “One of God's central qualities is compassion, a word that in Hebrew is related to the word for "womb." Not only is compassion a female image suggesting source of life and nourishment but it also has a feeling dimension: God as compassionate Spirit feels for us as a mother feels for the children of her womb. Spirit feels the suffering of the world and participates in it. . . .” [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compassion is likened to a mother’s womb, emphasizing nurturing and shared suffering. **In simple terms:** Compassion is nurturing and empathetic. Key Takeaway Cultivate compassionate empathy. Themes spirituality compassion gender symbolism Mood reflective serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - counseling - community service - parenting - healing work Key Concepts theology psychology metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How does viewing compassion as maternal affect your practice? - Can compassion be expressed beyond gendered metaphors? A Different Perspective May overlook non‑maternal expressions of compassion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-word-1401849/) [Compassionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate/) [Dimensions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dimensions/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [God Compassionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-compassionate-308307/) [Hebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hebrew/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Nourishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nourishment/) [Qualities Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualities-compassion-1401847/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Related](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/related/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Source of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source-of-life/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suggesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggesting/) [Womb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/womb/) [Womb Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/womb-compassion-1401845/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [There are no greater treasures than the highest human qualities such as compassion, courage and hope. Not even tragic accident or disaster can destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/there-are-no-greater-treasures-than-the-highest-human-qualities-such/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Jesus disclosed that God is compassionate. Jesus spoke of God that way: "Be compassionate, as God is compassionate." Compassion is the primary quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/jesus-disclosed-that-god-is-compassionate-jesus-spoke-of-god-that-way/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [People who think of God as a warrior may become warriors themselves, whether in a Christian crusade, a Muslim jihad, or an apocalyptically oriented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/people-who-think-of-god-as-a-warrior-may-become-warriors-themselves/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [Though we all have the fear and the seeds of anger within us, we must learn not to water those seeds and instead nourish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/though-we-all-have-the-fear-and-the-seeds-of-anger-within-us-we-must/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [To think that God is compassionate is a terrible mistake. To think that God is wrathful is equally stupid. God isn't emotional. You are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/to-think-that-god-is-compassionate-is-a-terrible-mistake-to-think/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Fred Rogers was not just a compassionate human being; he was a practicing Christian who firmly believed that human compassion has its ultimate source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-long/fred-rogers-was-not-just-a-compassionate-human-being-he-was-a/) [Michael G. Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-long/) > [God the Compassionate and the Merciful, Tolerance incarnate, allows Mammon to have his nine days' wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/god-the-compassionate-and-the-merciful-tolerance-incarnate-allows/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Verily, God is Compassionate and is fond of compassion, and He gives to the compassionate what He does not give to the harsh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad/verily-god-is-compassionate-and-is-fond-of-compassion-and-he-gives-to/) [Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad/) > [“I thought...it was easy when I thought it was something to do with the flesh. But what I'm seeing is more than that. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/i-thought-it-was-easy-when-i-thought-it-was-something-to-do-with-the/) [Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/) > [It ill becomes us to invoke in our daily prayers the blessings of God, the Compassionate, if we in turn will not practice elementary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-ill-becomes-us-to-invoke-in-our-daily-prayers-the-blessings-of-god/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“When Moses was on the mountaintop, he discovered why God kept putting up with His rebellious, complaining children: God was “compassionate and gracious, slow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kendrick/when-moses-was-on-the-mountaintop-he-discovered-why-god-kept-putting/) [Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kendrick/) > [“Compassion isn't just about feeling the pain of others; it's about bringing them in toward yourself. If we love what God loves, then, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-boyle/compassion-isn-t-just-about-feeling-the-pain-of-others-it-s-about/) [Gregory Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-boyle/) > [When we are in touch with God's joy and peace in us, then we become whole and holy persons. Like living torches we radiate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/when-we-are-in-touch-with-god-s-joy-and-peace-in-us-then-we-become/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [The locus of the modern struggle with its enemy of death is clearly the body (not mind, society, or the afterworld). The body is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-m-lock/the-locus-of-the-modern-struggle-with-its-enemy-of-death-is-clearly/) [Margaret M. Lock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-m-lock/) ## More by Marcus Borg > [The Bible is true, and some of it actually happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/the-bible-is-true-and-some-of-it-actually-happened/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [Some people find the experience and practice of compassion as a spiritual discipline to be a more direct route to the transformation of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/some-people-find-the-experience-and-practice-of-compassion-as-a/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [Religion is much more than language, but to be Christian does mean speaking Christian for most people. The language many of us use has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/religion-is-much-more-than-language-but-to-be-christian-does-mean/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [Jesus disclosed that God is compassionate. Jesus spoke of God that way: "Be compassionate, as God is compassionate." Compassion is the primary quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/jesus-disclosed-that-god-is-compassionate-jesus-spoke-of-god-that-way/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [The titles of Jesus (son of God, messiah, light of the world, etc.) are not found in the earliest layer of tradition and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/the-titles-of-jesus-son-of-god-messiah-light-of-the-world-etc-are-not/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [God loves us already and has from our very beginning. The Christian life is not about believing or doing what we need to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/god-loves-us-already-and-has-from-our-very-beginning-the-christian/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [Imagine that Christianity is about loving God,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/imagine-that-christianity-is-about-loving-god/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [Reality is permeated, indeed flooded, with divine creativity, nourishment, and care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/reality-is-permeated-indeed-flooded-with-divine-creativity/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [People who think of God as a warrior may become warriors themselves, whether in a Christian crusade, a Muslim jihad, or an apocalyptically oriented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/people-who-think-of-god-as-a-warrior-may-become-warriors-themselves/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [God’s dream for us is not simply peace of mind, but peace on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/god-s-dream-for-us-is-not-simply-peace-of-mind-but-peace-on-earth/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [It is important to show people ways that we can reclaim Christianity from some of the misunderstandings of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/it-is-important-to-show-people-ways-that-we-can-reclaim-christianity/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > ['Believing' cannot tip the scales in making a historical judgement about whether something really happened. I can choose to believe that George Washington threw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/believing-cannot-tip-the-scales-in-making-a-historical-judgement/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [Reading is not just about learning to recognize and pronounce words, but also about how to hear and understand them... It is wise to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/reading-is-not-just-about-learning-to-recognize-and-pronounce-words/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [People remember stories much better than they remember a straight list of teachings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/people-remember-stories-much-better-than-they-remember-a-straight/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [I affirm, along with many others, that the major enduring religions of the world are all valid and legitimate. I see them as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/i-affirm-along-with-many-others-that-the-major-enduring-religions-of/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) [Explore all 25 Marcus Borg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of God's central qualities is compassion, a word that in Hebrew is related to the word for \"womb.\" Not only is compassion a female image suggesting source of life and nourishment but it also has a feeling dimension: God as compassionate Spirit feels for us as a mother feels for the children of her womb. Spirit feels the suffering of the world and participates in it. . . .", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Borg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compassion-a-word-that-in-hebrew-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compassion-a-word-that-in-hebrew-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/marcus-borg-23822_children_one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compas_2537509.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/marcus-borg-23822_children_one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compas_2537509.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/marcus-borg-23822_children_one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compas_2537509.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of God's central qualities is compassion, a word that in Hebrew is related to the word for \"womb.\" Not…” — Marcus Borg", "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": "Marcus Borg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One of God's central qualities is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compassion-a-word-that-in-hebrew-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/one-of-god-s-central-qualities-is-compassion-a-word-that-in-hebrew-is/#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 } } ] } ```