--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the question that is foremost in…" description: "\"“This is the question that is foremost in the minds of modern men and women. In other words, they want to know not only whether there is providence, bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/r-c-sproul-2-1477_men-and-women_this-is-the-question-that-is-foremost-in_1391795.jpg" --- # This is the question that is foremost in the minds of… ![“This is the question that is foremost in the minds of modern men and women. In other words, they want to know not only whether there is providence, but whether it is cold and unfeeling or kind and compassionate. So,” quote by R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/r-c-sproul-2-1477_men-and-women_this-is-the-question-that-is-foremost-in_1391795.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/r-c-sproul-2-1477_men-and-women_this-is-the-question-that-is-foremost-in_1391795.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/r-c-sproul-2-1477_men-and-women_this-is-the-question-that-is-foremost-in_1391795.jpg) > ““This is the question that is foremost in the minds of modern men and women. In other words, they want to know not only whether there is providence, but whether it is cold and unfeeling or kind and compassionate. So,”” [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans seek to understand if divine guidance is indifferent or caring, reflecting a deep need for reassurance about the universe’s moral character. **In simple terms:** People wonder if a higher power is cold or kind. Key Takeaway Seek evidence of compassion in life. Themes faith theology existential inquiry Mood contemplative hopeful Type theological reflective When to use this quote - personal crisis - grieving loss - ethical decision making Key Concepts Providence free will theodicy Questions to Reflect On - How do you interpret events as signs of kindness or indifference? - What role does faith play in your view of providence? A Different Perspective The answer may differ across traditions and personal experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“It's not unfortunate that people aren't genuine; what's unfortunate is that insincere people try to act sincere and in doing so, mislead and deceive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/it-s-not-unfortunate-that-people-aren-t-genuine-what-s-unfortunate-is-2/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Trust life, trust that it will always guide you to the right thing, and be kind, be compassionate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/trust-life-trust-that-it-will-always-guide-you-to-the-right-thing-and/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The artistic side of a person is never narcissist; it's always empathic. It's always kind and compassionate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-gavaris/the-artistic-side-of-a-person-is-never-narcissist-it-s-always/) [Jordan Gavaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-gavaris/) > [I argue that we should be kind, we should be compassionate, and we should definitely be reasonable and rational, but that empathy leads us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-argue-that-we-should-be-kind-we-should-be-compassionate-and-we/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [As individuals, as families, as neighbors, as members of one community, people of all races and political views are usually decent, kind, compassionate. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/as-individuals-as-families-as-neighbors-as-members-of-one-community/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [As a child, I went to peace and ERA marches on the back of my mom and grandmother. Through them I learned that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/as-a-child-i-went-to-peace-and-era-marches-on-the-back-of-my-mom-and/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [“There's no room for hate and violence in this world. We must learn to be more kind, compassionate, empathetic, and sympathetic to humanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/there-s-no-room-for-hate-and-violence-in-this-world-we-must-learn-to/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“If you haven't walked in someone else's shoes, it's difficult to know the fit, so be kind and compassionate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-wolf/if-you-haven-t-walked-in-someone-else-s-shoes-it-s-difficult-to-know-2/) [Heather Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-wolf/) > [A kind and compassionate act is often its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bennett/a-kind-and-compassionate-act-is-often-its-own-reward/) [William Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bennett/) > [The television and film business has never really been kind or compassionate, in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cassidy/the-television-and-film-business-has-never-really-been-kind-or/) [David Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cassidy/) > [“Being kind, being compassionate, being respectful does not make you weak. More often, it's the harder path to take.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-m-wiemer/being-kind-being-compassionate-being-respectful-does-not-make-you/) [Liza M. Wiemer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-m-wiemer/) > [My idea of the perfect man would be someone intelligent and clever enough, but also kind and compassionate enough to stand up to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/my-idea-of-the-perfect-man-would-be-someone-intelligent-and-clever/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [“N othing on this planet can compare with a woman’s love—it is kind and compassionate, patient and nurturing, generous and sweet and unconditional. Pure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/n-othing-on-this-planet-can-compare-with-a-woman-s-love-it-is-kind/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [“She was remembering His gaze, those deep pools of blue, crystalline in nature, peering deep into her soul. She remembered the first night she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-l-desilva/she-was-remembering-his-gaze-those-deep-pools-of-blue-crystalline-in/) Frank L. DeSilva > [I believe in less government interference in people's personal lives, including whom to marry, when and whether to bear a child and how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mclane-kuster/i-believe-in-less-government-interference-in-people-s-personal-lives/) [Ann McLane Kuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mclane-kuster/) ## More by R.C. Sproul > [“If we rest our assurance on an experience and not on the Word of God, we're inviting all kinds of doubts to assail us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-we-rest-our-assurance-on-an-experience-and-not-on-the-word-of-god/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Where Adam collapsed, Jesus conquered. Where Adam compromised, Jesus refused to negotiate. Where Adam's trust in God faltered, Jesus' never wavered. The second Adam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/where-adam-collapsed-jesus-conquered-where-adam-compromised-jesus/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Arrogant worship is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Yet we see it throughout Scripture. The gospel was given to Adam and Eve. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/arrogant-worship-is-an-oxymoron-a-contradiction-in-terms-yet-we-see/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Throughout history, God has demonstrated that He is supremely trustworthy. That’s why, in one sense, nothing could be more foolish than not to trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/throughout-history-god-has-demonstrated-that-he-is-supremely/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“If I don't like something I read in Scripture, perhaps I simply don't understand it. If so, studying it again may help. If, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-i-don-t-like-something-i-read-in-scripture-perhaps-i-simply-don-t/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“The day of one's birth is a good day for the believer, but the day of death is the greatest day that a Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/the-day-of-one-s-birth-is-a-good-day-for-the-believer-but-the-day-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“We do not “find” God as a result of our search for him. We are found by him. The search for God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-do-not-find-god-as-a-result-of-our-search-for-him-we-are-found-by/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“We tend to remain conscious of the boundary flags for the course of this world. That slavish adherence to a course that is set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-tend-to-remain-conscious-of-the-boundary-flags-for-the-course-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“If our decisions about how to treat others are always motivated by love for God, a singular love for God, we really do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-our-decisions-about-how-to-treat-others-are-always-motivated-by/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“When we understand the character of God, when we grasp something of His holiness, then we begin to understand the radical character of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/when-we-understand-the-character-of-god-when-we-grasp-something-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“For an action to be judged good by God, it must fulfill two primary requirements. The first is that the action must correspond outwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/for-an-action-to-be-judged-good-by-god-it-must-fulfill-two-primary/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“The simplistic way of not conforming is to see what is in style in our culture and then do the opposite. If short hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/the-simplistic-way-of-not-conforming-is-to-see-what-is-in-style-in/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Though sin often brings immediate pleasure, it gives no lasting joy. If we understand the difference, we can avoid the pitfalls that entice the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/though-sin-often-brings-immediate-pleasure-it-gives-no-lasting-joy-if/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“To be a Christian is to be a theologian—a student of God and his will. The church is where believers should be nurtured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/to-be-a-christian-is-to-be-a-theologian-a-student-of-god-and-his-will/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“We need Christ-the real Christ. A Christ born of empty speculation or created to squeeze into the philosopher's pattern simply won't do. A recycled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-need-christ-the-real-christ-a-christ-born-of-empty-speculation-or/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) [Explore all 221 R.C. Sproul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) ## More Compassionate quotes > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other's well-being, is source of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/more-compassionate-mind-more-sense-of-concern-for-other-s-well-being/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A hard heart makes for hard judgments; a compassionate heart understands the humanity of the one we presume to judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/a-hard-heart-makes-for-hard-judgments-a-compassionate-heart/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“Seeing human suffering changes you. It either makes you compassionate or it makes you hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wilson-howarth/seeing-human-suffering-changes-you-it-either-makes-you-compassionate/) [Jane Wilson-Howarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wilson-howarth/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [It is not enough to be compassionate, we must act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-enough-to-be-compassionate-we-must-act/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [ \[Chinese\] are a huge empire now, you'll soon be - in a few years two billion people in the world. So, you should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/chinese-are-a-huge-empire-now-you-ll-soon-be-in-a-few-years-two/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I love the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beautiful stories about it, which I loved in Sunday school and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-love-the-idea-of-the-teachings-of-jesus-christ-and-the-beautiful/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [If the photographer is interested in the people in front of his lens, and if he is compassionate, it's already a lot. The instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/if-the-photographer-is-interested-in-the-people-in-front-of-his-lens/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/those-who-grieve-frequently-find-themselves-alone-missed-is-the/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [The logical conclusion to a compassionate and respectful relationship to sentient animals is that we stop eating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-balcombe/the-logical-conclusion-to-a-compassionate-and-respectful-relationship/) [Jonathan Balcombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-balcombe/) > [Nothing is more urgent than a serious, dare I say compassionate, debate as to where we are going at home and abroad. Technicians cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/nothing-is-more-urgent-than-a-serious-dare-i-say-compassionate-debate/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [“The kindness sent from one compassionate soul to another during the time of loss of one held so dear allows the sorrow-filled heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-friedenfeld/the-kindness-sent-from-one-compassionate-soul-to-another-during-the/) [Molly Friedenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-friedenfeld/) > [A strong person is not meant to be insensitive. He might be compassionate and loving. But, he relentlessly fights for the things he thinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-strong-person-is-not-meant-to-be-insensitive-he-might-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,064 Compassionate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is the question that is foremost in the minds of modern men and women. In other words, they want to know not only whether there is providence, but whether it is cold and unfeeling or kind and compassionate. So,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.C. 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