---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They had offered him comfort and shelter…"
description: "\"“They had offered him comfort and shelter, even when he was afraid of taking them, and in accepting he had learned something new. It was as much of a g..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/rachel-joyce-2226_courage_they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter_1770562.jpg"
---

#  They had offered him comfort and shelter, even when he was…

![“They had offered him comfort and shelter, even when he was afraid of taking them, and in accepting he had learned something new. It was as much of a gift to receive as it was to give, requiring as it did both courage and humility.” quote by Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/rachel-joyce-2226_courage_they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter_1770562.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/rachel-joyce-2226_courage_they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter_1770562.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/rachel-joyce-2226_courage_they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter_1770562.jpg)

> ““They had offered him comfort and shelter, even when he was afraid of taking them, and in accepting he had learned something new. It was as much of a gift to receive as it was to give, requiring as it did both courage and humility.””

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Accepting help teaches both humility and courage, turning a gift into mutual growth.

**In simple terms:** Help teaches humility and courage.

Key Takeaway

Embrace help to grow.

Themes

courage humility reciprocity growth

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal development
- teamwork
- mental health
- volunteering

Key Concepts

psychology social exchange emotional intelligence

Questions to Reflect On

- How does accepting help change your self‑view?
- What risks arise from always giving?

A Different Perspective

Receiving help can create dependency if not balanced.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Accepting Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting-learned-1775047/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-humility-549285/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Offered Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offered-comfort-1775046/)

## Related quotes

> [“The kindness of the woman with the food came back to him, and that of Martina. They had offered him comfort and shelter, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/the-kindness-of-the-woman-with-the-food-came-back-to-him-and-that-of/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“Wanting help, I reached out to serve. Seeking happiness, I smiled and offered comfort. Yearning for love, I showed love. And now I understand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/wanting-help-i-reached-out-to-serve-seeking-happiness-i-smiled-and/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [“Damning himself for the weakness, he got up and went to her room. She lay curled into a ball, her sobs wracking her body.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/damning-himself-for-the-weakness-he-got-up-and-went-to-her-room-she/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [What most of us need, almost more than anything, is the courage and humility really to ask for help, from the depths of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/what-most-of-us-need-almost-more-than-anything-is-the-courage-and-2/)

[Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/)

> [“In order to free ourselves from our assumptions about love, we must ask ourselves what long-held, often buried assumptions are and then face them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/in-order-to-free-ourselves-from-our-assumptions-about-love-we-must/)

[Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/)

> [remember that though humility, without firmness, may be cowardly, yet courage without humility is presumptuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-angelique-arnauld/remember-that-though-humility-without-firmness-may-be-cowardly-yet/)

[Marie Angelique Arnauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-angelique-arnauld/)

> [“perhaps that’s what it’s for – self-confidence and courage and energy and peace – perhaps it’s to be used in the world. Perhaps there’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/perhaps-that-s-what-it-s-for-self-confidence-and-courage-and-energy/)

[Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/)

> [Do not be afraid to be holy! Have the courage and humility to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since full,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/do-not-be-afraid-to-be-holy-have-the-courage-and-humility-to-present/)

[Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/)

> [“And from what we know, he truly saw each and every one of these obstacles as an opportunity to practice some virtue: patience, courage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/and-from-what-we-know-he-truly-saw-each-and-every-one-of-these/)

[Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/)

> [I did not pray for any relief, but I prayed for strength to suffer with courage, humility and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-lawrence/i-did-not-pray-for-any-relief-but-i-prayed-for-strength-to-suffer/)

[Brother Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-lawrence/)

> [They could fall in love with fresh, new people, or they could have the courage and humility to tear off some essential layer of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/they-could-fall-in-love-with-fresh-new-people-or-they-could-have-the/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

> [We've always been value-driven with things like gratitude, curiosity, courage, humility and a sense of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/we-ve-always-been-value-driven-with-things-like-gratitude-curiosity/)

[Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/)

> [“What most of us need, almost more than anything, is the courage and humility really to ask for help, from the depths of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/what-most-of-us-need-almost-more-than-anything-is-the-courage-and/)

[Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/)

> [“But we have to go further than we thought possible. It's not enough to just sign a signature or click something online. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-potter/but-we-have-to-go-further-than-we-thought-possible-it-s-not-enough-to/)

[Will Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-potter/)

> [“True humility is fearless honesty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/true-humility-is-fearless-honesty/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

## More by Rachel Joyce

> [“IT HAD NEVER been such a beautiful May. Every day the sky shone a peerless blue, untouched by cloud. Already, the gardens were crammed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/it-had-never-been-such-a-beautiful-may-every-day-the-sky-shone-a/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [After the two drinks, she felt warm inside, and slightly indistinct at the edges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/after-the-two-drinks-she-felt-warm-inside-and-slightly-indistinct-at/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“He walked so surely it was as if all his life he had been waiting to get up from his chair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/he-walked-so-surely-it-was-as-if-all-his-life-he-had-been-waiting-to/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [He must have driven this way countless times, and yet he had no memory of the scenery. He must have been so caught up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/he-must-have-driven-this-way-countless-times-and-yet-he-had-no-memory/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“He saw the reflection of her face in a compact mirror as she painted on her re lips. She did it with such care,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/he-saw-the-reflection-of-her-face-in-a-compact-mirror-as-she-painted/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“I can't explain why I think I can get there, when all the odds are against me. But I do. Even when a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/i-can-t-explain-why-i-think-i-can-get-there-when-all-the-odds-are/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“It wasn’t just 1) the artwork and sleeve notes on the album sleeve. It wasn’t 2) the possibility of a hidden track, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/it-wasn-t-just-1-the-artwork-and-sleeve-notes-on-the-album-sleeve-it/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [In writing about Harold and Maureen with their terrible unspoken secret, and all those people that Harold meets as he walks to save a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/in-writing-about-harold-and-maureen-with-their-terrible-unspoken/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“He wished the man would honor the true meaning of words, instead of using them as ammunition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/he-wished-the-man-would-honor-the-true-meaning-of-words-instead-of/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“We are at the centre of our own stories. And sometimes it is hard to believe that we are not at the centre of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/we-are-at-the-centre-of-our-own-stories-and-sometimes-it-is-hard-to/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [I find that very appealing: the blurring of the lines between what's funny and what's tragic. And what's ordinary and what's not - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/i-find-that-very-appealing-the-blurring-of-the-lines-between-what-s/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [Beginnings could happen more than once or in different ways. You could think you were starting something afresh, when actually what you were doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/beginnings-could-happen-more-than-once-or-in-different-ways-you-could/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“As time passed and he found his rhythm, he began to feel more certain. England opened up beneath his feet, and the feeling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/as-time-passed-and-he-found-his-rhythm-he-began-to-feel-more-certain/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“It surprised him that he was remembering all this. Maybe it was the walking. Maybe you saw even more than the land when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/it-surprised-him-that-he-was-remembering-all-this-maybe-it-was-the/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

> [“There was something about her, something pure and fluid that could not be contained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/there-was-something-about-her-something-pure-and-fluid-that-could-not/)

[Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

[Explore all 162 Rachel Joyce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/)

## More Courage quotes

> [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/)

[Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/)

> [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/)

[Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/)

> [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/)

[Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/)

> [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/)

[James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/)

> [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/)

[Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/)

> [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/)

[Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/)

> [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/)

[Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/)

> [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

> [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/)

> [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/)

[Kristen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-armstrong/)

> [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/)

[Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/)

> [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/)

[Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/)

> [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/)

[Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/)

[Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“They had offered him comfort and shelter, even when he was afraid of taking them, and in accepting he had learned something new. It was as much of a gift to receive as it was to give, requiring as it did both courage and humility.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rachel Joyce"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter-even-when-he-was-afraid-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Courage"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter-even-when-he-was-afraid-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/rachel-joyce-2226_courage_they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter_1770562.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/rachel-joyce-2226_courage_they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter_1770562.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/rachel-joyce-2226_courage_they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter_1770562.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“They had offered him comfort and shelter, even when he was afraid of taking them, and in accepting he had…” — Rachel Joyce",
                "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": "Rachel Joyce",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“They had offered him comfort and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter-even-when-he-was-afraid-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/they-had-offered-him-comfort-and-shelter-even-when-he-was-afraid-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
