--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then of course there are bigger things…" description: "\"Then of course there are bigger things that matter, like who do I see up there in the congregation? Do I see myself up there? Well, I don't.\" — Michael..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/michael-emerson-4622_bigger_then-of-course-there-are-bigger-things-t_1258993.jpg" --- # Then of course there are bigger things that matter, like… ![“Then of course there are bigger things that matter, like who do I see up there in the congregation? Do I see myself up there? Well, I don't.” quote by Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/michael-emerson-4622_bigger_then-of-course-there-are-bigger-things-t_1258993.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/michael-emerson-4622_bigger_then-of-course-there-are-bigger-things-t_1258993.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/michael-emerson-4622_bigger_then-of-course-there-are-bigger-things-t_1258993.jpg) > “Then of course there are bigger things that matter, like who do I see up there in the congregation? Do I see myself up there? Well, I don't.” [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker questions personal significance and belonging within a community, highlighting feelings of exclusion and self-doubt. **In simple terms:** Feeling left out and questioning one's place. Key Takeaway Seek connection and self‑acceptance. Themes belonging identity self‑esteem community exclusion Mood reflective melancholic hopeful Type personal philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - church gatherings - team meetings - online forums - family events Key Concepts psychology social dynamics self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - What would change if you felt valued? - How can you create a sense of belonging? A Different Perspective Self‑perception can be distorted by external validation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Bigger Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger-things-1281949/) [Congregation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congregation/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Like Congregation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-congregation-3996017/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Things Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-matter/) [Things that matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-that-matter/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [If you will lie about the little things, before long you’ll lie about bigger things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/if-you-will-lie-about-the-little-things-before-long-you-ll-lie-about/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [You're bigger than the toys. We are always bigger than the things we make. Put them away. Make something new with your life, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannu-rajaniemi/you-re-bigger-than-the-toys-we-are-always-bigger-than-the-things-we/) [Hannu Rajaniemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannu-rajaniemi/) > [“How you matter is defined by the things that matter to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/how-you-matter-is-defined-by-the-things-that-matter-to-you/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“We make the things that matter, matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-r-funke/we-make-the-things-that-matter-matter/) [Teresa R. Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-r-funke/) > [Of all the things that matter, that really and truly matter, working more efficiently and getting more done, is not one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dooley/of-all-the-things-that-matter-that-really-and-truly-matter-working/) [Mike Dooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dooley/) > [“Choose the things that matter to God. See things as He sees them. Whatever results, that is the best way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-m-steffens/choose-the-things-that-matter-to-god-see-things-as-he-sees-them/) [Jason M. Steffens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-m-steffens/) > [The two things that matter are the desire, and being healthy enough to do it. Everything else to me is a non-issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-aukerman/the-two-things-that-matter-are-the-desire-and-being-healthy-enough-to/) [Milo Aukerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-aukerman/) > [“In some ways the goals of teaching and writing are the same. You hope to connect to someone else, to make them care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-f-kluge/in-some-ways-the-goals-of-teaching-and-writing-are-the-same-you-hope/) [P.F. Kluge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-f-kluge/) > [It's as if scientists exert every effort of will they possess deliberately to find the least significant problems in the world and explain them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/it-s-as-if-scientists-exert-every-effort-of-will-they-possess/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [The things that matter most are not things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/the-things-that-matter-most-are-not-things/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [I'm still breathing because I have faith. My faith and my kids are the two things that matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-gosselin/i-m-still-breathing-because-i-have-faith-my-faith-and-my-kids-are-the/) [Kate Gosselin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-gosselin/) > [It's the little things that matter the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-the-little-things-that-matter-the-most/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You can never be too sure when it comes to things that matter most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/you-can-never-be-too-sure-when-it-comes-to-things-that-matter-most/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I try to make work about things that matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/i-try-to-make-work-about-things-that-matter/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [Home's where the people you love are. It's about finding the things that matter to you, and holding on to them and taking care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sheehan-miles/home-s-where-the-people-you-love-are-it-s-about-finding-the-things/) [Charles Sheehan-Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sheehan-miles/) ## More by Michael Emerson > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [Call-and-response style, yes, exactly. So whenever different groups get together then there has to be this long period of negotiation. How will we worship?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/call-and-response-style-yes-exactly-so-whenever-different-groups-get/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I think people respond to villains because people in general are more villainous than heroic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-think-people-respond-to-villains-because-people-in-general-are-more/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [So you find a lot of these sixth Americans congregate in these interracial congregations. They hang out together at work, at school, wherever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/so-you-find-a-lot-of-these-sixth-americans-congregate-in-these/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [There are roles that are terrifying because they're large or you may feel that they're out of your line, but I'm never terrified once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/there-are-roles-that-are-terrifying-because-they-re-large-or-you-may/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [We do not have an American culture. We have a white American culture and a black American culture. So when those two groups try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/we-do-not-have-an-american-culture-we-have-a-white-american-culture/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I think of myself as a problem-solver. I want to go in and help the director and the writer to get the best they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-think-of-myself-as-a-problem-solver-i-want-to-go-in-and-help-the/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [But what we found in the study is that churches are ten times less diverse than the neighborhoods they sit in. So there's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/but-what-we-found-in-the-study-is-that-churches-are-ten-times-less/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [And different traditions stress different - so then there's that. I talked to an African American who says before she goes into an interracial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/and-different-traditions-stress-different-so-then-there-s-that-i/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I think it's easier, I really do, because of not having that similar history, so that's why I think two-thirds of these mixed congregations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-think-it-s-easier-i-really-do-because-of-not-having-that-similar/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [There are three things, and it depends on the group that we're talking about, but there's history, there's culture, and then there's social networks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/there-are-three-things-and-it-depends-on-the-group-that-we-re-talking/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I ask the clergy why don't I see myself represented in leadership? And I'm told, and this happens quite a bit, "We don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-ask-the-clergy-why-don-t-i-see-myself-represented-in-leadership-and/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I was a magazine illustrator for many years before I became an actor, and I used to think, 'Oh, God, all those wasted years!'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-was-a-magazine-illustrator-for-many-years-before-i-became-an-actor/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [We go where our family goes. We go where our friends are, and because our social networks are so segregated by race, we end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/we-go-where-our-family-goes-we-go-where-our-friends-are-and-because/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [This is this thing I harp on: Sometimes acting can be a self-defeating psychological enterprise if we feel like we're desperate, if we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/this-is-this-thing-i-harp-on-sometimes-acting-can-be-a-self-defeating/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) [Explore all 108 Michael Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) ## More Bigger quotes > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Max—you have a bigger mission than finding the flock's parents. Focus on helping the whole world, not just your friends. I held my wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/max-you-have-a-bigger-mission-than-finding-the-flock-s-parents-focus/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Sometimes people can write really great scenes and even a great episode, but they can't see the bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/sometimes-people-can-write-really-great-scenes-and-even-a-great/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [If you consider yourself a part of the culture, then finances can't allow you to be bigger than the actual art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/if-you-consider-yourself-a-part-of-the-culture-then-finances-can-t/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [If we get better our customers will demand we get bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/if-we-get-better-our-customers-will-demand-we-get-bigger/) [S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I think everyone has been annoyed at school or in their life, that's a type of bullying. So, you can take those feelings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodi-smit-mcphee/i-think-everyone-has-been-annoyed-at-school-or-in-their-life-that-s-a/) [Kodi Smit-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodi-smit-mcphee/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) [Browse all 3,614 Bigger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Then of course there are bigger things that matter, like who do I see up there in the congregation? Do I see myself up there? 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