--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humility is a strange flower; it grows…" description: "\"Humility is a strange flower; it grows best in winter weather, and under storms of affliction.\" — Samuel Rutherford" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/samuel-rutherford-3289_affliction_humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-be_3073239.png" --- # Humility is a strange flower; it grows best in winter… ![“Humility is a strange flower; it grows best in winter weather, and under storms of affliction.” quote by Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/samuel-rutherford-3289_affliction_humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-be_3073239.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/samuel-rutherford-3289_affliction_humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-be_3073239.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/samuel-rutherford-3289_affliction_humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-be_3073239.png) > “Humility is a strange flower; it grows best in winter weather, and under storms of affliction.” [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humility thrives in hardship, like a flower blooming in winter storms, revealing strength through adversity. **In simple terms:** Humility grows in tough times. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility during challenges. Themes humility adversity growth resilience spirituality Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal trials - leadership - spiritual practice Key Concepts theology psychology nature Questions to Reflect On - How does hardship reveal humility? - Can humility be practiced proactively? A Different Perspective Humility may be mistaken for weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affliction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affliction/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Flower Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower-grows-777084/) [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Grows Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows-best-876383/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Humility Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility-strange-3209484/) [Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storm/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Strange Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-flower-3505697/) [Weather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weather/) [Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winter/) [Winter weather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winter-weather/) ## Related quotes > [Grace grows best in winter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/grace-grows-best-in-winter/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [Humility is a strange thing. The minute you think you've got it, you've lost it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/6th-baronet-sir-edward-hulse/humility-is-a-strange-thing-the-minute-you-think-you-ve-got-it-you-ve/) [6th Baronet Sir Edward Hulse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/6th-baronet-sir-edward-hulse/) > [“Gubbinal" That strange flower, the sun, Is just what you say. Have it your way. The world is ugly, And the people are sad.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/gubbinal-that-strange-flower-the-sun-is-just-what-you-say-have-it/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [The calla lilies are in bloom again. Such a strange flower—suitable to any occasion. I carried them on my wedding day, and now I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-calla-lilies-are-in-bloom-again-such-a-strange-flower-suitable-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Thankfulness grows best in the seed-bed of conviction, just as some plants must be placed in the soil in the winter if they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-b-ferguson/thankfulness-grows-best-in-the-seed-bed-of-conviction-just-as-some/) [Sinclair B. Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-b-ferguson/) > [“Everything grows best in oxygen and sunlight except secrets and guilt and regrets. They”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/everything-grows-best-in-oxygen-and-sunlight-except-secrets-and-guilt/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“Happiness grows best in the soil of contentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-fargo/happiness-grows-best-in-the-soil-of-contentment/) [Tim Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-fargo/) > [“Grain grows best in shit...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/grain-grows-best-in-shit/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [It is an excellent circumstance that hospitality grows best where it is most needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/it-is-an-excellent-circumstance-that-hospitality-grows-best-where-it-2/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [Your nipples are my favorite winter weather report.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-nipples-are-my-favorite-winter-weather-report/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know climate change is a hoax – of course – but places that have never seen this type of winter weather got hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-know-climate-change-is-a-hoax-of-course-but-places-that-have-never/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [We always used to talk real late after midnight Now the only thing we do on the phone is fight Is there a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-always-used-to-talk-real-late-after-midnight-now-the-only-thing-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As winter weather settles in around the country, millions of American families are facing skyrocketing home heating prices with even greater impact if cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ-carnahan/as-winter-weather-settles-in-around-the-country-millions-of-american/) [Russ Carnahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ-carnahan/) > [Crabbed age and youth cannot live together; Youth is full of pleasure, age is full of care; Youth like summer morn, age like winter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/crabbed-age-and-youth-cannot-live-together-youth-is-full-of-pleasure/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) ## More by Samuel Rutherford > [The cross of Christ is the sweetest burden that I ever bore; it is such a burden as wings are to a bird, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/the-cross-of-christ-is-the-sweetest-burden-that-i-ever-bore-it-is/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [Well's them who are under crosses, and Christ says to them, "Half Mine."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/well-s-them-who-are-under-crosses-and-christ-says-to-them-half-mine/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [O, what I owe to the file, the hammer, and the furnace of the Lord Jesus! I know that he is no idle husbandman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/o-what-i-owe-to-the-file-the-hammer-and-the-furnace-of-the-lord-jesus/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [If so be that freewill were our tutor, and we had our heaven in our own keeping, then we would lose all. But because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/if-so-be-that-freewill-were-our-tutor-and-we-had-our-heaven-in-our/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [“...whether God come to his children with a rod or a crown, if he come himself with it, it is well. Welcome, welcome Jesus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/whether-god-come-to-his-children-with-a-rod-or-a-crown-if-he-come/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [Faint not; the miles to heaven are but few and short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/faint-not-the-miles-to-heaven-are-but-few-and-short/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [I perceive we postpone all our joys of Christ, till He and we be in our own house above, thinking that there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/i-perceive-we-postpone-all-our-joys-of-christ-till-he-and-we-be-in/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [The night will close the door & fasten my anchor within the veil and I shall go away to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/the-night-will-close-the-door-fasten-my-anchor-within-the-veil-and-i/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [There is nothing left to us but to see how we may be approved of Him, and how we may roll the weight of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/there-is-nothing-left-to-us-but-to-see-how-we-may-be-approved-of-him/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [I wonder many times that ever a child of God should have a sad heart, considering what their Lord is preparing for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/i-wonder-many-times-that-ever-a-child-of-god-should-have-a-sad-heart/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [The hope of heaven under troubles is like wind and sails to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/the-hope-of-heaven-under-troubles-is-like-wind-and-sails-to-the-soul/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [My desire is that my Lord would give me broader and deeper thoughts, to feed myself with wondering at His love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/my-desire-is-that-my-lord-would-give-me-broader-and-deeper-thoughts/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [When I am in the cellar of affliction, I look for the Lord's choicest wines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/when-i-am-in-the-cellar-of-affliction-i-look-for-the-lord-s-choicest/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [Our little time of suffering is not worthy of our first night's welcome home to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/our-little-time-of-suffering-is-not-worthy-of-our-first-night-s/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [The devil is but a whetstone to sharpen the faith and patience of the saints.-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/the-devil-is-but-a-whetstone-to-sharpen-the-faith-and-patience-of-the/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) [Explore all 134 Samuel Rutherford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) ## More Affliction quotes > [I don't feel insecure about any of this work anymore. Maybe I don't have what I had when I was younger. I'm not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-don-t-feel-insecure-about-any-of-this-work-anymore-maybe-i-don-t/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [Every man will have his own criterion in forming his judgment of others. I depend very much on the effect of affliction. I consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/every-man-will-have-his-own-criterion-in-forming-his-judgment-of/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There is nothing in afflictions which ought to disturb our joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-is-nothing-in-afflictions-which-ought-to-disturb-our-joy/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Henceforth, I'll bear Affliction till it do cry out itself, 'Enough, enough, and die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/henceforth-i-ll-bear-affliction-till-it-do-cry-out-itself-enough/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [New materials are one of the great afflictions of contemporary art. Some artists confuse new materials with new ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/new-materials-are-one-of-the-great-afflictions-of-contemporary-art/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Aimee Parkison offers a distinct new voice to contemporary fiction. Her seductive stories explore childhood as a realm of sorrows, and reveal the afflictions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-anshaw/aimee-parkison-offers-a-distinct-new-voice-to-contemporary-fiction/) [Carol Anshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-anshaw/) > [May I strike my heart's keys clearly, and may none fail because of slack, uncertain, or fraying strings. May the tears that stream down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/may-i-strike-my-heart-s-keys-clearly-and-may-none-fail-because-of/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [We are infinitely more than our limitations and afflictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/we-are-infinitely-more-than-our-limitations-and-afflictions/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [God measures out affliction to our need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/god-measures-out-affliction-to-our-need/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Afflictions make the heart more deep, more experimental, more knowing and profound, and so, more able to hold, to contain, and beat more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/afflictions-make-the-heart-more-deep-more-experimental-more-knowing/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Religion prescribes to every miserable man the means of bettering his condition; nay, it shows him that the bearing of his afflictions as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/religion-prescribes-to-every-miserable-man-the-means-of-bettering-his/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Short-term amnesia is not the worst affliction if you have an Irish flair for the sauce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/short-term-amnesia-is-not-the-worst-affliction-if-you-have-an-irish/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Revolution will free society of its afflictions, while science will free the individual of his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/revolution-will-free-society-of-its-afflictions-while-science-will/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) [Browse all 598 Affliction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affliction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Humility is a strange flower; it grows best in winter weather, and under storms of affliction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Rutherford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-best-in-winter-weather-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affliction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-best-in-winter-weather-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/samuel-rutherford-3289_affliction_humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-be_3073239.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/samuel-rutherford-3289_affliction_humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-be_3073239.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/samuel-rutherford-3289_affliction_humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-be_3073239.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Humility is a strange flower; it grows best in winter weather, and under storms of affliction.” — Samuel Rutherford", "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": "Samuel Rutherford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Humility is a strange flower; it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-best-in-winter-weather-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/humility-is-a-strange-flower-it-grows-best-in-winter-weather-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 } } ] } ```