--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we serve the great, they are our…" description: "\"When we serve the great, they are our destiny.\" — Mary Renault" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/mary-renault-7614_destiny_when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-des_2404698.jpg" --- # When we serve the great, they are our destiny. ![“When we serve the great, they are our destiny.” quote by Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/mary-renault-7614_destiny_when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-des_2404698.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/mary-renault-7614_destiny_when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-des_2404698.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/mary-renault-7614_destiny_when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-des_2404698.jpg) > “When we serve the great, they are our destiny.” [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Serving great causes defines one's purpose and destiny. **In simple terms:** Great service shapes destiny. Key Takeaway Serve higher ideals. Themes purpose service destiny Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career - volunteering - leadership - social movements Key Concepts philosophical ethical existential Questions to Reflect On - What does “great” mean to you? - How does service affect your life? A Different Perspective Greatness is subjective; not all agree on what is “great.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Our destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-destiny/) ## Related quotes > [As you put your sights on your goals — no matter how great and compelling they are — as you look into the distance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/as-you-put-your-sights-on-your-goals-no-matter-how-great-and/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [What we love and what captures our curiosity draws us forward into some place of great destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-muller/what-we-love-and-what-captures-our-curiosity-draws-us-forward-into/) [Wayne Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-muller/) > [“Take hold of your passing time and convert it into living your dreams. Only then can you truly fulfill the great destiny that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/take-hold-of-your-passing-time-and-convert-it-into-living-your-dreams/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [It's a true honor to serve our great state, and I'll continue to work tirelessly to preserve the American Dream for generations to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/it-s-a-true-honor-to-serve-our-great-state-and-i-ll-continue-to-work/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [I am convinced that if you serve great value, people will come to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ripert/i-am-convinced-that-if-you-serve-great-value-people-will-come-to-you/) [Eric Ripert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ripert/) > [It's an honor to live in and serve the great City of Los Angeles. I'm also immensely grateful for the support I've received from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-o-brien/it-s-an-honor-to-live-in-and-serve-the-great-city-of-los-angeles-i-m/) [Walter O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-o-brien/) > [“I must serve the Great Master, God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/i-must-serve-the-great-master-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [It is an honor to serve your country, and if Mr. Trump called me to serve this great nation, I would proudly do whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omarosa-manigault-newman/it-is-an-honor-to-serve-your-country-and-if-mr-trump-called-me-to/) [Omarosa Manigault Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omarosa-manigault-newman/) > [Our country is only as strong as the men and women who serve our great nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-donalds/our-country-is-only-as-strong-as-the-men-and-women-who-serve-our/) [Byron Donalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-donalds/) > [Your character is the master of your destiny. The combined weight of a steadfast character, positive values and human strengths contributes to a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/your-character-is-the-master-of-your-destiny-the-combined-weight-of-a/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [We bear a heavy and therefore a great destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-rosenberg/we-bear-a-heavy-and-therefore-a-great-destiny/) [Alfred Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-rosenberg/) > [You have a great destiny. If I have had a small part to play in that, then I'm pleased.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaius/you-have-a-great-destiny-if-i-have-had-a-small-part-to-play-in-that/) [Gaius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaius/) > [“Like most heroes, with great destiny there must also be great sacrifice. You will be no different. There will be times when you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-hutchinson/like-most-heroes-with-great-destiny-there-must-also-be-great/) [Sheena Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-hutchinson/) > [It is the great destiny of human science, not to ease man's labors or prolong his life, noble as those ends may be nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sears/it-is-the-great-destiny-of-human-science-not-to-ease-man-s-labors-or/) Paul Sears > [You can be great only if it is your destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/you-can-be-great-only-if-it-is-your-destiny/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) ## More by Mary Renault > [You can make an audience see nearly anything, if you yourself believe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/you-can-make-an-audience-see-nearly-anything-if-you-yourself-believe/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“I looked at him, tipping down the coarse wine like a man who expects to put up with worse. I felt I was looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/i-looked-at-him-tipping-down-the-coarse-wine-like-a-man-who-expects/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“For I had felt too much and reasoned too little, hearing what I was ready to hear, not what had been said. There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/for-i-had-felt-too-much-and-reasoned-too-little-hearing-what-i-was/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“Go in peace," I said to him; "bear no ill-will to me, for Necessity yields to no man: and do not complain of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/go-in-peace-i-said-to-him-bear-no-ill-will-to-me-for-necessity-yields/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [There is only one kind of shock worse than the totally unexpected: the expected for which one has refused to prepare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/there-is-only-one-kind-of-shock-worse-than-the-totally-unexpected-the/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [Longing performs all things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/longing-performs-all-things/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [A man is at his youngest when he thinks he is a man, not yet realizing that his actions must show it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/a-man-is-at-his-youngest-when-he-thinks-he-is-a-man-not-yet-realizing/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“You mustn't get so upset about what you feel, Spud. No one's a hundred per cent consistent all the time. We might like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/you-mustn-t-get-so-upset-about-what-you-feel-spud-no-one-s-a-hundred/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“It is better to believe in men too rashly, and regret, than believe too meanly. Men could be more than they are, if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/it-is-better-to-believe-in-men-too-rashly-and-regret-than-believe-too/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“Hephaistion had known for many ages that if a god should offer him one gift in all his lifetime, he would choose this. Joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/hephaistion-had-known-for-many-ages-that-if-a-god-should-offer-him/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“It is the mark of little men to like only what they know; one step beyond, and they feel the black cold of chaos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/it-is-the-mark-of-little-men-to-like-only-what-they-know-one-step/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“His mouth felt cold to mine ; he neither opened his eyes, nor spoke, nor moved. I said in my heart, "Too late I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/his-mouth-felt-cold-to-mine-he-neither-opened-his-eyes-nor-spoke-nor/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“Is he weeping?" said the one with the softest heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/is-he-weeping-said-the-one-with-the-softest-heart/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [Love is a boaster at heart, who cannot hide the stolen horse without giving a glimpse of the bridle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/love-is-a-boaster-at-heart-who-cannot-hide-the-stolen-horse-without/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [At the stair-foot Hephaistion was waiting. He happened to be there, as he happened to have a ball handy if Alexander wanted a game,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/at-the-stair-foot-hephaistion-was-waiting-he-happened-to-be-there-as/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) [Explore all 89 Mary Renault quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) ## More Destiny quotes > [... War on the destiny of man! Doom on the sun! Before death takes you, O take back this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-on-the-destiny-of-man-doom-on-the-sun-before-death-takes-you-o/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anatomy is destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/anatomy-is-destiny/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [ Man blindly works the will of fate. \[Ger., Blindlings that er blos den Willen des Geschickes.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-martin-wieland/man-blindly-works-the-will-of-fate-ger-blindlings-that-er-blos-den/) [Christoph Martin Wieland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-martin-wieland/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“It's morning now, and I miss the soft rasp of her voice already. Ugh. I'm in trouble, aren't I?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-shand/it-s-morning-now-and-i-miss-the-soft-rasp-of-her-voice-already-ugh-i/) [Pat Shand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-shand/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/somehow-destiny-comes-into-play-these-children-end-up-with-you-and/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Destiny is the ordained intention God has sacredly prepared with your name on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-lynch/destiny-is-the-ordained-intention-god-has-sacredly-prepared-with-your/) [John S. Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-lynch/) > [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [“Fate and future both are servant to the determined, for they are nothing but creation of human determination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/fate-and-future-both-are-servant-to-the-determined-for-they-are/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) [Browse all 7,925 Destiny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we serve the great, they are our destiny.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Renault" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-destiny/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Destiny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-destiny/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/mary-renault-7614_destiny_when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-des_2404698.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/mary-renault-7614_destiny_when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-des_2404698.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/mary-renault-7614_destiny_when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-des_2404698.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When we serve the great, they are our destiny.” — Mary Renault", "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": "Mary Renault", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When we serve the great, they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-destiny/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/when-we-serve-the-great-they-are-our-destiny/#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 } } ] } ```