--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love is understanding, redemptive…" description: "\"Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody.\" — Martin Luther King, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/martin-luther-king-jr-127_goodwill_love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwil_2105239.png" --- # Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so… ![“Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/martin-luther-king-jr-127_goodwill_love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwil_2105239.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/martin-luther-king-jr-127_goodwill_love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwil_2105239.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/martin-luther-king-jr-127_goodwill_love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwil_2105239.png) > “Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love involves universal understanding and goodwill toward all humanity. **In simple terms:** Love is universal goodwill. Key Takeaway Practice empathy and inclusive love. Themes love humanity ethics spirituality Mood hopeful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - community building - conflict resolution - education Key Concepts universal compassion redemptive love Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster love in divided societies? - What actions embody redemptive goodwill? A Different Perspective Idealism may clash with real‑world prejudice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goodwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodwill/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-everybody/) [Love Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-understanding/) [Love your enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-your-enemies/) [Loving your enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-your-enemies/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-develop-and-maintain-the-capacity-to-forgive-he-who-is-devoid-3/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There's something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-s-something-about-love-that-builds-up-and-is-creative-there-is/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [So when Jesus says "Love your enemies," he is setting forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/so-when-jesus-says-love-your-enemies-he-is-setting-forth-a-profound/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, 'Love your enemies.' It is this: that love has within it a redemptive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/now-there-is-a-final-reason-i-think-that-jesus-says-love-your-enemies/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There may come a time when it will be possible for you to humiliate your worst enemy or even to defeat him, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-may-come-a-time-when-it-will-be-possible-for-you-to-humiliate/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Let us be practical and ask the question: How do we love our enemies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/let-us-be-practical-and-ask-the-question-how-do-we-love-our-enemies/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is some good in the worst of us, and some evil in the best of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-is-some-good-in-the-worst-of-us-and-some-evil-in-the-best-of-us/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Love even for enemies is the key to the solution of the problems of our world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/love-even-for-enemies-is-the-key-to-the-solution-of-the-problems-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [...love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/love-has-within-it-a-redemptive-power-and-there-is-a-power-there-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There's another reason why you should love your enemies, and that is because hate distorts the personality of the hater. We usually think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-s-another-reason-why-you-should-love-your-enemies-and-that-is/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody, because God loves them. You refuse to do anything that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwill-for-all-men-so-that-you-2/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-the-evangelist/love-your-enemies-do-good-to-them-that-hate-you/) [Luke the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-the-evangelist/) > [“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-2/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bible-tells-us-to-love-our-neighbors-and-also-to-love-our-enemies-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Goodwill quotes > [We are surrounded every day by countless acts of immeasurable kindness and goodwill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bel-edwards/we-are-surrounded-every-day-by-countless-acts-of-immeasurable/) [John Bel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bel-edwards/) > [We're not going to cure terrorism and spread peace and goodwill in the Middle East by killing innocent people, or I'm not even saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/we-re-not-going-to-cure-terrorism-and-spread-peace-and-goodwill-in/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [For a time during the early settlement of this country peace and goodwill prevailed, only to be followed later by violent and relentless warfare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-a-miles/for-a-time-during-the-early-settlement-of-this-country-peace-and/) [Nelson A. Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-a-miles/) > [For it was Saturday night, the best and bingiest glad-time of the week, one of the fifty-two holidays in the slow-turning Big Wheel of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/for-it-was-saturday-night-the-best-and-bingiest-glad-time-of-the-week/) [Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/) > [With a Web and iPhone app, I try to find new and tiny ways to delight my customers. They may not notice, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-arment/with-a-web-and-iphone-app-i-try-to-find-new-and-tiny-ways-to-delight/) [Marco Arment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-arment/) > [We want no dictatorship of physicists, as physicists. If our democracy is to realize its full promise, we want no dictatorship at all -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-frank/we-want-no-dictatorship-of-physicists-as-physicists-if-our-democracy/) [Jerome Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-frank/) > [All men of goodwill have this in common - that our works put us to shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/all-men-of-goodwill-have-this-in-common-that-our-works-put-us-to-shame/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [For Coca-Cola to take a pro-diversity, pro-equality stance creates a lot of goodwill in the LGBT community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/for-coca-cola-to-take-a-pro-diversity-pro-equality-stance-creates-a/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [Gluttony should be destroyed by self-control; unchastity by desire for God and longing for the blessings held in store; avarice by compassion for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-damascus/gluttony-should-be-destroyed-by-self-control-unchastity-by-desire-for/) [John of Damascus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-damascus/) > [But if you should take the bond of goodwill out of the universe no house or city could stand, nor would even the tillage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/but-if-you-should-take-the-bond-of-goodwill-out-of-the-universe-no/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [In short, the time has come for us as American and Iranian citizens to apply our mutual energy, intellect, and goodwill toward strengthening relations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-vance/in-short-the-time-has-come-for-us-as-american-and-iranian-citizens-to/) Cyrus Vance > [“The more he drank the nicer he became; wine revealed his charity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeet-thayil/the-more-he-drank-the-nicer-he-became-wine-revealed-his-charity/) [Jeet Thayil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeet-thayil/) > [Where people of goodwill get together and transcend their differences for the common good, peaceful and just solutions can be found even for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/where-people-of-goodwill-get-together-and-transcend-their-differences/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [The U.S has acquired reservoirs of goodwill around the globe over many years. But it is clear - from polling data and ample anecdotal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-h-hamilton/the-u-s-has-acquired-reservoirs-of-goodwill-around-the-globe-over/) [Lee H. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-h-hamilton/) > [Maturity is a compound of wisdom, goodwill, resilience, and creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/maturity-is-a-compound-of-wisdom-goodwill-resilience-and-creativity/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 320 Goodwill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodwill/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwill-for-all-men-so-that-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Goodwill" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwill-for-all-men-so-that-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/martin-luther-king-jr-127_goodwill_love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwil_2105239.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/martin-luther-king-jr-127_goodwill_love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwil_2105239.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/martin-luther-king-jr-127_goodwill_love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwil_2105239.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody.” — 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/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwill-for-all-men-so-that-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/love-is-understanding-redemptive-goodwill-for-all-men-so-that-you/#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 } } ] } ```