--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must keep ourselves in touch, not with…" description: "\"We must keep ourselves in touch, not with theories, but with people, and never get out of touch with human beings, if we are going to use the word of G..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/oswald-chambers-205_beings_we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with_3180357.jpg" --- # We must keep ourselves in touch, not with theories, but… ![“We must keep ourselves in touch, not with theories, but with people, and never get out of touch with human beings, if we are going to use the word of God skilfully amongst them.” quote by Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/oswald-chambers-205_beings_we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with_3180357.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/oswald-chambers-205_beings_we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with_3180357.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/oswald-chambers-205_beings_we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with_3180357.jpg) > “We must keep ourselves in touch, not with theories, but with people, and never get out of touch with human beings, if we are going to use the word of God skilfully amongst them.” [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes practical, compassionate ministry over abstract doctrine, urging engagement with real people. **In simple terms:** Focus on people, not theory. Key Takeaway Serve with empathy and relevance. Themes compassion practicality ministry humanity Mood thoughtful inspirational Type advice spiritual When to use this quote - counselling - community outreach - church leadership - social work Key Concepts theology pastoral care communication Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance doctrine with empathy? - What practices keep you grounded in people’s needs? A Different Perspective May overlook theological depth in favor of relatability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Word of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [We must keep ourselves in touch, not with theories, but with people. We must never get out of touch with them if we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with-theories-but-with-people-we/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [If we understood what happens when we use the Word of God, we would use it oftener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-understood-what-happens-when-we-use-the-word-of-god-we-would/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Beware of bartering the Word of God for a more suitable conception of your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/beware-of-bartering-the-word-of-god-for-a-more-suitable-conception-of/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Others have questions about how it is that God and human beings can both be speaking through the one document such that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/others-have-questions-about-how-it-is-that-god-and-human-beings-can/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Learn your techniques well and be prepared to let them go when you touch the human soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/learn-your-techniques-well-and-be-prepared-to-let-them-go-when-you/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [When I touch a human hand, I touch heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/when-i-touch-a-human-hand-i-touch-heaven/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [Yes, people do come across the street to say hi, but as they approach and get near, my perception of space begins to dissolve,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-giacometti/yes-people-do-come-across-the-street-to-say-hi-but-as-they-approach/) Diego Giacometti > [“Human touch to Digital touch - We are all human to begin ,After industrialization we have become mechanised, depended on the wheel and power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-t-v-rao-md/human-touch-to-digital-touch-we-are-all-human-to-begin-after/) [Dr.T.V.Rao MD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-t-v-rao-md/) > [I want to tap into everyone's senses, to touch on our human sensibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clemantine-wamariya/i-want-to-tap-into-everyone-s-senses-to-touch-on-our-human-sensibility/) [Clemantine Wamariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clemantine-wamariya/) > [When you reach out and touch other human beings, it doesn't matter whether you call it therapy or teaching or poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/when-you-reach-out-and-touch-other-human-beings-it-doesn-t-matter/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Nearly everyone underestimates how powerful the touch of another person's hand can be. The need to be touched is something so primal, so fundamentally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/nearly-everyone-underestimates-how-powerful-the-touch-of-another/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/all-i-ever-wanted-was-to-reach-out-and-touch-another-human-being-not/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [I have studied this Book, and I would never even dream of saying I've come to the bottom of the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/i-have-studied-this-book-and-i-would-never-even-dream-of-saying-i-ve/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [Scientific accuracy confirms the Bible is the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/scientific-accuracy-confirms-the-bible-is-the-word-of-god/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How ## More by Oswald Chambers > [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/realize-that-the-lord-is-here-now-and-the-freedom-you-receive-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/you-will-never-cease-to-be-the-most-amazed-person-on-earth-at-what/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [When Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross, it was not the blood of a martyr; or the blood of one man for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-jesus-christ-shed-his-blood-on-the-cross-it-was-not-the-blood-of/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Sorrow burns up a great amount of shallowness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/sorrow-burns-up-a-great-amount-of-shallowness/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/let-circumstances-take-you-where-they-will-but-keep-drawing-on-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-goal-of-faithfulness-is-not-that-we-will-do-work-for-god-but-that/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-are-in-danger-of-forgetting-that-we-cannot-do-what-god-does-and/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“It is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the Kingdom, to see God's children starving while actually seated at the Father's table.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/it-is-a-solemn-thing-and-no-small-scandal-in-the-kingdom-to-see-god-s/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“If my holiness is not drawing towards Him, it is not holiness of the right order, but an influence that will awaken inordinate affection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-my-holiness-is-not-drawing-towards-him-it-is-not-holiness-of-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“My spiritual history must have as its underlying foundation a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. To be born again means that I see Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/my-spiritual-history-must-have-as-its-underlying-foundation-a/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We always have visions, before a thing is made real. When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-always-have-visions-before-a-thing-is-made-real-when-we-realize/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-lasting-value-of-our-public-service-for-god-is-measured-by-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven his sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-thing-that-awakens-the-deepest-fountain-of-gratitude-in-a-human/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The secret of the missionary is...I am His, and He is carrying out His work through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-secret-of-the-missionary-is-i-am-his-and-he-is-carrying-out-his/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) [Explore all 922 Oswald Chambers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## More Beings quotes > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [“Is there any holy beings like human beings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/is-there-any-holy-beings-like-human-beings/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [A composer knows that music is written by human beings for human beings and that music is a continuation of life, not something separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanns-eisler/a-composer-knows-that-music-is-written-by-human-beings-for-human/) Hanns Eisler > [For our purposes as human beings, the mind is the center of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/for-our-purposes-as-human-beings-the-mind-is-the-center-of-everything/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [I'm a humanist at heart: at the end of the day, we are all human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-faker/i-m-a-humanist-at-heart-at-the-end-of-the-day-we-are-all-human-beings/) [Chet Faker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-faker/) > [My intended audience was everybody. I just want to make cartoons for human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/my-intended-audience-was-everybody-i-just-want-to-make-cartoons-for/) [John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/) > [Everyone else on the planet, from the lowest amoebae to the great blue whale, expresses all their component elements in a perfect dance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-lore/everyone-else-on-the-planet-from-the-lowest-amoebae-to-the-great-blue/) [Nicholas Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-lore/) > [I have never really been fond of animals. I certainly wasn't an 'animal lover' when I became involved in the movement. I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [As human beings, we aren't as individual as we'd like to believe we are. And I think that's what makes acting possible. Despite the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-human-beings-we-aren-t-as-individual-as-we-d-like-to-believe-we/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [We cannot deal with people like human beings, we cannot deal with them on the high level of true humanity, unless we really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-cannot-deal-with-people-like-human-beings-we-cannot-deal-with-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Spiritual beings, either from the beginning or soon thereafter, become what they are to be for ever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/spiritual-beings-either-from-the-beginning-or-soon-thereafter-become/) [Giovanni Pico della Mirandola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/) > [We're human beings trying to love each other. There are constant revelations and room for growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamman-rucker/we-re-human-beings-trying-to-love-each-other-there-are-constant/) [Lamman Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamman-rucker/) > [“There are no greater or truer lords, gods, fathers, sons or holy spirits, than the humans. Humans are the highest beings on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-are-no-greater-or-truer-lords-gods-fathers-sons-or-holy-spirits/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won't, for he sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/although-we-might-settle-for-less-heavenly-father-won-t-for-he-sees/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) Browse all 979 Beings quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must keep ourselves in touch, not with theories, but with people, and never get out of touch with human beings, if we are going to use the word of God skilfully amongst them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oswald Chambers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with-theories-but-with-people-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beings" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with-theories-but-with-people-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/oswald-chambers-205_beings_we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with_3180357.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/oswald-chambers-205_beings_we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with_3180357.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/oswald-chambers-205_beings_we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with_3180357.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must keep ourselves in touch, not with theories, but with people, and never get out of touch with human…” — Oswald Chambers", "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": "Oswald Chambers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must keep ourselves in touch,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with-theories-but-with-people-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-must-keep-ourselves-in-touch-not-with-theories-but-with-people-and/#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 } } ] } ```