--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We serve life, not because it is broken…" description: "\"We serve life, not because it is broken, but because it is holy.\" — Mother Teresa" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ec/mother-teresa-196_broken_we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-b_702011.jpg" --- # We serve life, not because it is broken, but because it is… ![“We serve life, not because it is broken, but because it is holy.” quote by Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ec/mother-teresa-196_broken_we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-b_702011.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ec/mother-teresa-196_broken_we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-b_702011.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ec/mother-teresa-196_broken_we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-b_702011.jpg) > “We serve life, not because it is broken, but because it is holy.” [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We should help others out of reverence for life’s sanctity, not because we see it as damaged. **In simple terms:** Help because life is sacred. Key Takeaway Act out of reverence. Themes compassion sanctity service Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - volunteering - caregiving - community support Key Concepts ethical duty spiritual reverence Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing life as holy change your actions? - What does reverence for life look like in daily choices? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Massage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/massage/) ## Related quotes > [Before you are five and twenty you must establish a character that will serve you all your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cuthbert-collingwood-1st-baron-collingwood/before-you-are-five-and-twenty-you-must-establish-a-character-that/) Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood > [Remember that mentor leadership is all about serving. Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/remember-that-mentor-leadership-is-all-about-serving-jesus-said-for/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Those who bless and serve life find a place of belonging and strength, a refuge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/those-who-bless-and-serve-life-find-a-place-of-belonging-and-strength/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [Helping, fixing, and serving represent three different ways of seeing life. When you help, you see life as weak. when you fix, you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/helping-fixing-and-serving-represent-three-different-ways-of-seeing/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [“To meet and know God people must therefore begin with a deep commitment to serve life as they meet it because this is where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-wirzba/to-meet-and-know-god-people-must-therefore-begin-with-a-deep/) [Norman Wirzba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-wirzba/) > [ “service \[rendered\] to God does indeed profit God nothing, nor has God need of human obedience; but He grants to those who follow and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/service-rendered-to-god-does-indeed-profit-god-nothing-nor-has-god-2/) The Church Fathers > [Make us worthy Lord to serve our fellow men throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/make-us-worthy-lord-to-serve-our-fellow-men-throughout-the-world-who/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Get to know the poor in your country. Love them. Serve them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/get-to-know-the-poor-in-your-country-love-them-serve-them/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/give-your-hands-to-serve-and-your-hearts-to-love/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Holy living consists in doing God's work with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/holy-living-consists-in-doing-god-s-work-with-a-smile/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [I could spend a whole day at a spa. I'd get a facial, a scalp rub, massages, then eat some grapes and be good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dule-hill/i-could-spend-a-whole-day-at-a-spa-i-d-get-a-facial-a-scalp-rub/) [Dule Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dule-hill/) > [Being pampered is great, but sometimes I like to do those things myself because it's a little therapeutic and gives me some downtime for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ilonzeh/being-pampered-is-great-but-sometimes-i-like-to-do-those-things/) [Annie Ilonzeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ilonzeh/) > [In this hectic life, we have no time to take care of ourselves, hence massage is needed for rejuvenation and stress reduction. A lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nargis-fakhri/in-this-hectic-life-we-have-no-time-to-take-care-of-ourselves-hence/) [Nargis Fakhri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nargis-fakhri/) > [Or for the gorgeously bare vampire to give her a sensual massage while feeding her peeled grapes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/or-for-the-gorgeously-bare-vampire-to-give-her-a-sensual-massage/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [The human body has been designed to resist an infinite number of changes and attacks brought about by its environment. The secret of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-johnson/the-human-body-has-been-designed-to-resist-an-infinite-number-of/) Harry Johnson ## More by Mother Teresa > [Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/love-is-a-fruit-in-season-at-all-times-and-within-the-reach-of-every/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [All works of love are works of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/all-works-of-love-are-works-of-peace/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Keep the corners of your mouth turned up. Speak in a low, persuasive tone. Listen; be teachable. Laugh at good stories and learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/keep-the-corners-of-your-mouth-turned-up-speak-in-a-low-persuasive/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Holy living consists in doing God's work with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/holy-living-consists-in-doing-god-s-work-with-a-smile/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [I don't look at anything. Every person whether he is Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist, he is my brother, my sister. I think we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-don-t-look-at-anything-every-person-whether-he-is-hindu-muslim-or/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [We may not be able to give much but we can always give the joy that springs in a heart that is in LOVE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-may-not-be-able-to-give-much-but-we-can-always-give-the-joy-that/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Maybe if I didn't pick up that one person, I wouldn't have picked up forty-two thousand...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/maybe-if-i-didn-t-pick-up-that-one-person-i-wouldn-t-have-picked-up/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [We too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence and aloneness with God, together as a community as well as personally;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-too-are-called-to-withdraw-at-certain-intervals-into-deeper/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [People are unrealistic, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/people-are-unrealistic-illogical-and-self-centered-love-them-anyway/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Recovering in a Calcutta, India hospital. I think I'm more difficult than critical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/recovering-in-a-calcutta-india-hospital-i-think-i-m-more-difficult/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [So many signatures for such a small heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/so-many-signatures-for-such-a-small-heart/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [They should give until it hurts, maybe a very small thing, maybe just a packet of cigarettes, but instead of by smoking that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/they-should-give-until-it-hurts-maybe-a-very-small-thing-maybe-just-a/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/it-is-by-forgiving-that-one-is-forgiven/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [The more we empty ourselves, the more room we give God to fill us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/the-more-we-empty-ourselves-the-more-room-we-give-god-to-fill-us/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Joy is prayer; joy is strength: joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/joy-is-prayer-joy-is-strength-joy-is-love-joy-is-a-net-of-love-by/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) [Explore all 951 Mother Teresa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) Browse all 5,851 Broken quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We serve life, not because it is broken, but because it is holy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mother Teresa" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-but-because-it-is-holy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Broken" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-but-because-it-is-holy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ec/mother-teresa-196_broken_we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-b_702011.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ec/mother-teresa-196_broken_we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-b_702011.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ec/mother-teresa-196_broken_we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-b_702011.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We serve life, not because it is broken, but because it is holy.” — Mother Teresa", "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": "Mother Teresa", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We serve life, not because it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-but-because-it-is-holy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-serve-life-not-because-it-is-broken-but-because-it-is-holy/#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 } } ] } ```