--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one listens willingly to someone who…" description: "\"No one listens willingly to someone who speaks to them from a position of self-righteousness and judgment. Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus reserv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/067/pope-francis-85_again-and-again_no-one-listens-willingly-to-someone-who_403272.jpg" --- # No one listens willingly to someone who speaks to them… ![“No one listens willingly to someone who speaks to them from a position of self-righteousness and judgment. Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus reserves his harshest words for those who ignore their own weakness in order to lord it over others.” quote by Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/067/pope-francis-85_again-and-again_no-one-listens-willingly-to-someone-who_403272.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/067/pope-francis-85_again-and-again_no-one-listens-willingly-to-someone-who_403272.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/067/pope-francis-85_again-and-again_no-one-listens-willingly-to-someone-who_403272.jpg) > “No one listens willingly to someone who speaks to them from a position of self-righteousness and judgment. Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus reserves his harshest words for those who ignore their own weakness in order to lord it over others.” [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People reject advice when it comes from a self‑righteous stance; humility invites listening and growth. **In simple terms:** Judgmental attitudes block others from hearing you. Key Takeaway Speak with humility to be heard. Themes humility communication judgment Mood thoughtful encouraging Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - family discussions - leadership meetings - conflict resolution - teaching sessions Key Concepts ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you demonstrate humility in critique? - What steps help others lower their defenses? A Different Perspective Even humble speakers can be dismissed if listeners are closed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Reserves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reserves/) [Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-righteousness/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [To be acceptable is for one to ignore his weakness while knowing his strength, to cover the scar even though it's always there, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/to-be-acceptable-is-for-one-to-ignore-his-weakness-while-knowing-his/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [So when we call pain a problem, we claim we do not deserve it. We are even prepared to scuttle God to maintain our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/so-when-we-call-pain-a-problem-we-claim-we-do-not-deserve-it-we-are/) [John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) > [“The main difference is that the enlightened believe that the poor criminal should be rehabilitated while the righteous believe that the immoral criminal should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ryan/the-main-difference-is-that-the-enlightened-believe-that-the-poor/) William Ryan > [“Piety /pi•e•ty/ (modern definition) 1. When you use Christ’s teachings to put someone in their place out of anger and self-righteousness. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/piety-pi-e-ty-modern-definition-1-when-you-use-christ-s-teachings-to/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/but-to-be-fully-known-and-truly-loved-is-well-a-lot-like-being-loved/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [A trustworthy marriage has weathered temptation and anger and jealousy, resentment, self-righteousness and a little bit of selfishness. When you get over and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-dee/a-trustworthy-marriage-has-weathered-temptation-and-anger-and/) [Ruby Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-dee/) > [“It’s hard for most of us to admit, but when you start paying attention you’ll notice that you actually enjoy being angry. There’s this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/it-s-hard-for-most-of-us-to-admit-but-when-you-start-paying-attention/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Real joy is becoming exceedingly rare among artists of any kind. And I have an idea that those who can and do communicate it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/real-joy-is-becoming-exceedingly-rare-among-artists-of-any-kind-and-i/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [“Develop a little self-righteousness. A lot of that is an ugly thing, God knows, but a little applied over all your scruples is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/develop-a-little-self-righteousness-a-lot-of-that-is-an-ugly-thing/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The saints are sinners still. 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Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice-2/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Calamity, war, famine, plague, death, adversity, disease, injury do not necessarily produce repentance. We may become better in a calamity but it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/calamity-war-famine-plague-death-adversity-disease-injury-do-not/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Self-righteousness has killed more people than smoking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccarthy/self-righteousness-has-killed-more-people-than-smoking/) [John McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccarthy/) ## More by Pope Francis > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Most people nowadays would not consider love as related in any way to truth. Love is seen as an experience associated with the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/most-people-nowadays-would-not-consider-love-as-related-in-any-way-to/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Listen to Jesus and follow him. 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Please join me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-pray-every-day-for-all-who-are-suffering-in-iraq-please-join-me/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I entrust this Twenty-second World Day of the Sick to the intercession of Mary. I ask her to help the sick to bear their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-entrust-this-twenty-second-world-day-of-the-sick-to-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Certain realities in life are only seen through eyes that are cleansed through our tears. Let us learn how to weep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/certain-realities-in-life-are-only-seen-through-eyes-that-are/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) [Explore all 1,479 Pope Francis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## More Again and again quotes > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. 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