--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The last shall be first and the first…" description: "\"“The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” This is exactly, when it comes down to it, why most people do not believe in grace. It is fuckin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/nadia-bolz-weber-15054_grace_the-last-shall-be-first-and-the-first-sh_579596.jpg" --- # The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” This… ![“The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” This is exactly, when it comes down to it, why most people do not believe in grace. It is fucking offensive.” quote by Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/nadia-bolz-weber-15054_grace_the-last-shall-be-first-and-the-first-sh_579596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/nadia-bolz-weber-15054_grace_the-last-shall-be-first-and-the-first-sh_579596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/nadia-bolz-weber-15054_grace_the-last-shall-be-first-and-the-first-sh_579596.jpg) > ““The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” This is exactly, when it comes down to it, why most people do not believe in grace. It is fucking offensive.”” [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement highlights a paradox where people reject grace, finding it offensive, despite teachings that the humble will be elevated and the proud humbled. **In simple terms:** People often reject humility, seeing it as offensive, even though humility leads to true elevation. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and recognize its value despite discomfort. Themes humility grace social perception paradox Mood reflective critical Type philosophical contemplative When to use this quote - religious discourse - personal relationships - leadership challenges Key Concepts theology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Why might people find humility offensive? - How can grace be communicated without alienating others? A Different Perspective Grace can be misunderstood and resisted in cultures valuing assertiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) ## Related quotes > [“This is exactly, when it comes down to it, why most people do not believe in grace. It is fucking offensive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/this-is-exactly-when-it-comes-down-to-it-why-most-people-do-not/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“ACT15.11 But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/act15-11-but-we-believe-that-through-the-grace-of-the-lord-jesus/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe in grace because I've seen it and peace because I've felt it and forgiveness because I've needed it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-believe-in-grace-because-i-ve-seen-it-and-peace-because-i-ve-felt/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I sincerely believe that everything - everything - is grace, and you have to stick around long enough to see it through. 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By our fruits we will be known, not by what name we have called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-flynn/one-finds-both-good-men-and-bad-in-the-church-by-our-fruits-we-will/) [Michael Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-flynn/) > [No iron chain, or outward force of any kind, could ever compel the soul of man to believe or to disbelieve: it is his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-iron-chain-or-outward-force-of-any-kind-could-ever-compel-the-soul/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“My life is war and peace and love and heartache all mixed into a bowl and packed into a jar labeled Grace’s Believe It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyndi-goodgame/my-life-is-war-and-peace-and-love-and-heartache-all-mixed-into-a-bowl/) [Cyndi Goodgame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyndi-goodgame/) > [If you believe in grace, then let it change you. 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I believe in hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-phelps-roper/i-believe-in-so-much-i-believe-in-people-i-believe-in-hope/) [Megan Phelps-Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-phelps-roper/) > [I know how important it is to have people who believe in you even when you don't believe in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-know-how-important-it-is-to-have-people-who-believe-in-you-even/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) ## More by Nadia Bolz-Weber > [“Unitarians just don't talk much about our need for God's grave. They have a higher opinion of human beings than I have ever felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/unitarians-just-don-t-talk-much-about-our-need-for-god-s-grave-they/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“And the strangeness of the good news is that, like those in Matthew 25 who sat before the throne and said Huh? When did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/and-the-strangeness-of-the-good-news-is-that-like-those-in-matthew-25/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“There's something about courting the darkness that makes some people see the truth in raw, twisted ways, as though they were shining a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/there-s-something-about-courting-the-darkness-that-makes-some-people/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“The Kingdom of God is a tricky concept, and I was always taught it referred to our heavenly reward for being good, which, now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/the-kingdom-of-god-is-a-tricky-concept-and-i-was-always-taught-it/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“But our sexual and gender expressions are as integral to who we are as our religious upbringings are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/but-our-sexual-and-gender-expressions-are-as-integral-to-who-we-are/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“The eunuch sought God despite the fact that he had heard that there was no love for him there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/the-eunuch-sought-god-despite-the-fact-that-he-had-heard-that-there/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“The life changing seems always bracketed by the mundane. 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It is fucking offensive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/this-is-exactly-when-it-comes-down-to-it-why-most-people-do-not/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“It’s God saying, “I love the world too much to let your sin define you and be the final word. I am a God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/it-s-god-saying-i-love-the-world-too-much-to-let-your-sin-define-you/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“And always, always, it is worth it to sing alleluia in defiance of the devil, who surely hates the sound of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/and-always-always-it-is-worth-it-to-sing-alleluia-in-defiance-of-the/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“the Christian faith, while wildly misrepresented in so much of American culture, is really about death and resurrection. It’s about how God continues to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/the-christian-faith-while-wildly-misrepresented-in-so-much-of/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) [Explore all 44 Nadia Bolz-Weber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) ## More Grace quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [“Serve in the grace of strength within thy soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/serve-in-the-grace-of-strength-within-thy-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/grace-does-not-destroy-nature-it-perfects-it/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Asanas bring perfection in body, beauty in form, grace, strength, compactness, and the hardness and brilliance of a diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/asanas-bring-perfection-in-body-beauty-in-form-grace-strength/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [ “Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani \[the enlightened one\], one can become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-become-a-thief-and-through-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“God reproduces and lives out His image in millions of ordinary people like us. It is a supreme mystery. We are called to bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/god-reproduces-and-lives-out-his-image-in-millions-of-ordinary-people/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [One of the noblest words in our language is "grace," defined as "unearned blessing." We live by grace far more than by anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/one-of-the-noblest-words-in-our-language-is-grace-defined-as-unearned/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Grace is upside-down, to-do-list wrecking, scandalous and way-too free. It's one-way love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/grace-is-upside-down-to-do-list-wrecking-scandalous-and-way-too-free/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) [Browse all 6,886 Grace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” This is exactly, when it comes down to it, why most people do not believe in grace. 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