---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love is the only cement that can hold…"
description: "\"Love is the only cement that can hold this broken community together.When I am commanded to love, I am commanded to restore community, to resist injust..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_community_love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-th_2765385.jpg"
---

#  Love is the only cement that can hold this broken…

![“Love is the only cement that can hold this broken community together.When I am commanded to love, I am commanded to restore community, to resist injustice, and to meet the needs fo my brothers.” quote by Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_community_love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-th_2765385.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_community_love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-th_2765385.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_community_love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-th_2765385.jpg)

> “Love is the only cement that can hold this broken community together.When I am commanded to love, I am commanded to restore community, to resist injustice, and to meet the needs fo my brothers.”

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

## About This Quote

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

Love is presented as the binding force that restores and protects community against injustice and neglect.

**In simple terms:** Love holds a broken community together.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate love to heal and unite.

Themes

community justice solidarity service compassion

Mood

hopeful determined

Type

inspirational ethical

When to use this quote

- Neighborhood meetings
- community organizing
- conflict resolution
- volunteer work

Key Concepts

Social cohesion moral responsibility activism

Questions to Reflect On

- How can love be translated into concrete action?
- What barriers prevent love from uniting communities?

A Different Perspective

Love alone cannot fix systemic oppression without structural change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/)

## Related quotes

> [When I am commanded to love, I am commanded to restore community, to resist injustice, and to meet the needs of my brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/when-i-am-commanded-to-love-i-am-commanded-to-restore-community-to/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Love cannot be commanded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latin-proverb/love-cannot-be-commanded/)

Latin Proverb

> [“The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God’s government; He desires only the service of love; and love cannot be commanded;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/the-exercise-of-force-is-contrary-to-the-principles-of-god-s/)

[Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/)

> [“The 'commandment' of love is only possible because it is more than a requirement. Love can be 'commanded' because it has first been given.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi-joseph-ratzinger/the-commandment-of-love-is-only-possible-because-it-is-more-than-a/)

Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger

> [“Love, therefore, may be commanded (Luke 6:27 ff.; Ephesians 5:25) and taught (Titus 2:3-4). Love does not come naturally, it must be learned.21 But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/love-therefore-may-be-commanded-luke-6-27-ff-ephesians-5-25-and/)

[Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/)

> [“From the first we knew it could never work between us. Somehow, for a few wonderful days, we lost sight of that. You’re a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/from-the-first-we-knew-it-could-never-work-between-us-somehow-for-a/)

[Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/)

> [“It is this Good which we are commanded to love with our whole heart, with our whole mind, and with all our strength. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/it-is-this-good-which-we-are-commanded-to-love-with-our-whole-heart/)

[Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/)

> [We are not commanded (or forbidden) to love our mates, our children, our friends, our country because such affections come naturally to us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/we-are-not-commanded-or-forbidden-to-love-our-mates-our-children-our-2/)

[W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/)

> [You are commanded to love everyone, not condemn those who don't agree with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-commanded-to-love-everyone-not-condemn-those-who-don-t-agree/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We are commanded to love God with all our minds, as well as with all our hearts, and we commit a great sin if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-grimke/we-are-commanded-to-love-god-with-all-our-minds-as-well-as-with-all/)

[Angelina Grimke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-grimke/)

> [To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-alone-in-the-wilderness-is/)

[Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/)

> [Commanded love of all men indiscriminately is an obliteration of distinction between love and hate, and therefore is not love at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/commanded-love-of-all-men-indiscriminately-is-an-obliteration-of/)

[Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/)

> [NEIGHBOR, n. One whom we are commanded to love as ourselves, and who does all he knows how to make us disobedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/neighbor-n-one-whom-we-are-commanded-to-love-as-ourselves-and-who/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [The Bible says that love is a responsibility. We are commanded to love. God doesn't ask us if we feel like it, He tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/the-bible-says-that-love-is-a-responsibility-we-are-commanded-to-love/)

[David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/)

> [The commandment is that you shall love, but when you understand life and yourself, then it is as if you should not need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-commandment-is-that-you-shall-love-but-when-you-understand-life/)

[Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/)

## More by Martin Luther King Jr

> [We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-have-learned-to-fly-the-air-like-birds-and-swim-the-sea-like-fish/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [I had a dreamthat you would just shut the fuck up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/i-had-a-dreamthat-you-would-just-shut-the-fuck-up/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/yes-if-you-want-to-say-that-i-was-a-drum-major-say-that-i-was-a-drum/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [“We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-must-forever-conduct-our-struggle-on-the-high-plane-of-dignity-and/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [“It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/it-may-be-true-that-the-law-cannot-make-a-man-love-me-but-it-can-stop/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [“Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-privileges-voluntarily/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [God has set the type of marriage everywhere throughout the creation. Every creature seeks its perfection in another. The very heavens and earth picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/god-has-set-the-type-of-marriage-everywhere-throughout-the-creation/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [A nation that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/a-nation-that-continues-to-produce-soft-minded-men-purchases-its-own/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [“It is not enough to say, 'We must not wage war.' It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/it-is-not-enough-to-say-we-must-not-wage-war-it-is-necessary-to-love/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [“When, for decades, you have been able to make a man compromise his manhood by threatening him with a cruel and unjust punishment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/when-for-decades-you-have-been-able-to-make-a-man-compromise-his/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/the-question-is-not-whether-we-will-be-extremists-but-what-kind-of/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [“Deep in our history of struggle for freedom, Canada was the North star”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/deep-in-our-history-of-struggle-for-freedom-canada-was-the-north-star/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [“And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land! I may not get there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/and-he-s-allowed-me-to-go-to-the-mountain-and-i-ve-looked-over-and-i/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [“We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-know-through-painful-experience-that-freedom-is-never-voluntarily/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

> [“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/returning-hate-for-hate-multiplies-hate-adding-deeper-darkness-to-a/)

[Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

[Explore all 219 Martin Luther King Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/)

## More Community quotes

> [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/)

[Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/)

> [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/)

[Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/)

> [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/)

[Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/)

> [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/)

[Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/)

> [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/)

[Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/)

> [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/)

[Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/)

> [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/)

[Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/)

> [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/)

[Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/)

> [It rolls off my back. Ridicule doesn't mean anything - even from people you're supposed to wear knee pads around, like the scientific community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/it-rolls-off-my-back-ridicule-doesn-t-mean-anything-even-from-people/)

[Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/)

> [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/)

[Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/)

> [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/)

[Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

Sheila Kamerman

> [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/)

[Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/)

[Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Love is the only cement that can hold this broken community together.When I am commanded to love, I am commanded to restore community, to resist injustice, and to meet the needs fo my brothers.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Martin Luther King Jr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-this-broken-community-together/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Community"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-this-broken-community-together/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_community_love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-th_2765385.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_community_love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-th_2765385.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_community_love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-th_2765385.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Love is the only cement that can hold this broken community together.When I am commanded to love, I am…” — Martin Luther King Jr",
                "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": "Martin Luther King Jr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Love is the only cement that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-this-broken-community-together/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/love-is-the-only-cement-that-can-hold-this-broken-community-together/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
