--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even the disciples, who at times could be…" description: "\"“Even the disciples, who at times could be dense as bricks, realized that the true neighbor was the one who showed mercy to a stranger.”\" — Scott Russe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f77/scott-russell-sanders-29971_compassion_even-the-disciples-who-at-times-could-be_3179994.jpg" --- # Even the disciples, who at times could be dense as bricks… ![“Even the disciples, who at times could be dense as bricks, realized that the true neighbor was the one who showed mercy to a stranger.” quote by Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f77/scott-russell-sanders-29971_compassion_even-the-disciples-who-at-times-could-be_3179994.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f77/scott-russell-sanders-29971_compassion_even-the-disciples-who-at-times-could-be_3179994.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f77/scott-russell-sanders-29971_compassion_even-the-disciples-who-at-times-could-be_3179994.jpg) > ““Even the disciples, who at times could be dense as bricks, realized that the true neighbor was the one who showed mercy to a stranger.”” [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True compassion is shown by helping strangers, not just familiar people. **In simple terms:** Mercy to strangers defines a true neighbor. Key Takeaway Practice kindness to strangers. Themes compassion neighborliness empathy Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical humanistic When to use this quote - volunteering - community service - everyday interactions - helping strangers Key Concepts ethical behavior social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you show mercy to a stranger today? - What barriers stop you from helping unknown people? A Different Perspective May overlook personal boundaries or safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Disciples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciples/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Mercy Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy-stranger-5823086/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Showed Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/showed-mercy-4243363/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [True Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-neighbor-3839301/) ## Related quotes > [The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-true-neighbor-will-risk-his-position-his-prestige-and-even-his/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-ultimate-measure-of-a-man-is-not-where-he-stands-in-moments-of-3/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“Dan showed it no mercy. 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Be your own disciplinarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/it-is-one-thing-being-disciplined-to-plan-and-it-is-another-thing/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) ## More by Scott Russell Sanders > [“Saints and bodhisattvas may achieve what Christians call mystical union or Buddhists call satori--a perpetual awareness of the force at the heart of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/saints-and-bodhisattvas-may-achieve-what-christians-call-mystical/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“Since I could not forget the wounds to people and planet, could not unlearn the dismal numbers--of pollution and population and poverty--that foretold catastrophe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/since-i-could-not-forget-the-wounds-to-people-and-planet-could-not/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“Striving to convey to this beloved audience of one what was going on around me during those five years, I learned the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/striving-to-convey-to-this-beloved-audience-of-one-what-was-going-on/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“I sometimes wonder if all other animals, all plants, maybe even stars and rivers and rocks, dwell in steady awareness of God, while humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/i-sometimes-wonder-if-all-other-animals-all-plants-maybe-even-stars/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“...nothing from the summer carries more lasting allure for me than the memory of sitting with Ruth on the bank of a stream on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/nothing-from-the-summer-carries-more-lasting-allure-for-me-than-the/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“Life is precarious and improbable, a flame in matter, easily snuffed out. 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For lovers do not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/although-making-love-may-serve-as-a-polite-name-for-an-act-that-has/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“Home is not where you have to go but where you want to go; nor is it a place where you are sullenly admitted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/home-is-not-where-you-have-to-go-but-where-you-want-to-go-nor-is-it-a/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“What's remarkable about old age is not that we wear out but that we last so long in the grip of gravity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/what-s-remarkable-about-old-age-is-not-that-we-wear-out-but-that-we/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“If we are ever going to dwell in the house of the Lord, I believe, we do so now. If any house is divinely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/if-we-are-ever-going-to-dwell-in-the-house-of-the-lord-i-believe-we/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“She wanted to live lightly on the earth, in harmony with its rhythms, all her senses keen and her mind alive and her spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/she-wanted-to-live-lightly-on-the-earth-in-harmony-with-its-rhythms/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“When the pain of leaving behind what we know outweighs the pain of embracing it, or when the power we face is overwhelming and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/when-the-pain-of-leaving-behind-what-we-know-outweighs-the-pain-of/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“...I understand Mother's need, whatever she might say on the phone, what she really wants is to hear, before she closes her eyes, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/i-understand-mother-s-need-whatever-she-might-say-on-the-phone-what/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) > [“That was what it meant to be loved--there were people who would never give up looking and longing for you, no matter how far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-russell-sanders/that-was-what-it-meant-to-be-loved-there-were-people-who-would-never/) [Scott Russell Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) [Explore all 18 Scott Russell Sanders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-russell-sanders/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. 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