Humble heart Quote by Rachel Held Evans
““Some rabbis say that, at birth, we are each tied to God with a string, and that every time we sin, the string breaks. To those who repent of their sins, especially in the days of Rosh Hashanah, God sends the angel Gabriel to make knots in the string, so that the humble and contrite are once again tied to God. Because each one of us fails, because we all lose our way on the path to righteousness from time to time, our strings are full of knots. But, the rabbis like to say, a string with many knots is shorter than one without knots. So the person with many sins but a humble heart is closer to God.””
About This Quote
The metaphor illustrates that repentance and humility, despite past sins, bring one closer to the divine, as each acknowledgment of wrongdoing creates a knot that shortens the spiritual distance to God.
In simple terms: Humility and repentance shorten the distance to God.
Key Takeaway
Knotty strings symbolize redeemed humility.
Themes
repentance
humility
spiritual proximity
redemption
Jewish tradition
Mood
reflective
hopeful
reverent
Type
proverbial
theological
inspirational
When to use this quote
- confessing wrongdoing
- seeking forgiveness
- observing Rosh Hashanah
- reflecting on personal failings
- practicing humility
Key Concepts
string metaphor
Rosh Hashanah
angel Gabriel
sin
forgiveness
Practical Applications
- spiritual counseling
- personal reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- How does acknowledging sin change one's spiritual journey?
- What role does humility play in religious practice?
