--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: May I not come before You with empty…" description: "\"May I not come before You with empty hands, since we are rewarded according to our deeds.\" — Teresa of Avila" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/teresa-of-vila-1246_deeds_may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-han_1754309.jpg" --- # May I not come before You with empty hands, since we are… ![“May I not come before You with empty hands, since we are rewarded according to our deeds.” quote by Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/teresa-of-vila-1246_deeds_may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-han_1754309.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/teresa-of-vila-1246_deeds_may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-han_1754309.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/teresa-of-vila-1246_deeds_may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-han_1754309.jpg) > “May I not come before You with empty hands, since we are rewarded according to our deeds.” [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She urges offering deeds, not empty gestures, emphasizing that rewards align with actions. **In simple terms:** Deeds matter more than empty offerings. Key Takeaway Act with purpose to earn true reward. Themes faith service morality Mood contemplative serene Type moral spiritual When to use this quote - charity - volunteering - daily work Key Concepts spiritual discipline ethical reciprocity Questions to Reflect On - What actions reflect your deepest values? - How do you measure the impact of your deeds? A Different Perspective Good intentions alone may not suffice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Empty hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty-hands/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Serving others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving-others/) ## Related quotes > [You are rewarded not according to your work or your time but according to the measure of your love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/you-are-rewarded-not-according-to-your-work-or-your-time-but/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [“I come with empty hands and the desire to unbuild walls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-come-with-empty-hands-and-the-desire-to-unbuild-walls/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [At the end of your life on earth you will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well you handled what God entrusted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/at-the-end-of-your-life-on-earth-you-will-be-evaluated-and-rewarded/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“Jehovah shall judge us according to deeds of doings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/jehovah-shall-judge-us-according-to-deeds-of-doings/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [A man's deeds shape and mould his spirit, for better or worse, according to his deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/a-man-s-deeds-shape-and-mould-his-spirit-for-better-or-worse/) Senoraroy > [“ROM2.6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rom2-6-who-will-render-to-every-man-according-to-his-deeds/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I come to you more than I give. Always with my hands out Instead of lifting them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-burrell/i-come-to-you-more-than-i-give-always-with-my-hands-out-instead-of/) [Kim Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-burrell/) > [I have one way of fighting: I'm going to come after you, put hands on you, and knock you out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-liddell/i-have-one-way-of-fighting-i-m-going-to-come-after-you-put-hands-on/) [Chuck Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-liddell/) > [This is where we go our seperate ways. Aware of the almost feel of his hand on my arm when he pulls me back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/this-is-where-we-go-our-seperate-ways-aware-of-the-almost-feel-of-his/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [What plan you to come from which your...done and my show hands up in the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xv/what-plan-you-to-come-from-which-your-done-and-my-show-hands-up-in/) XV > [Take time to love her, or someone else who has more time will come along and take her off your hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-time-to-love-her-or-someone-else-who-has-more-time-will-come/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Ah! Thou gifest me such hope and courage, and I haf nothing to gif back but a full heart and these empty hands," cried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/ah-thou-gifest-me-such-hope-and-courage-and-i-haf-nothing-to-gif-back/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“For the rest of the day, her weight echoed in my empty hands, light but dense, her throes and kicks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-pizzolatto/for-the-rest-of-the-day-her-weight-echoed-in-my-empty-hands-light-but/) [Nic Pizzolatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-pizzolatto/) > [“There pass the careless people That call their souls their own: Here by the road I loiter, How idle and alone. Ah, past the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-housman-2/there-pass-the-careless-people-that-call-their-souls-their-own-here/) [A.E. Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-housman-2/) > [Beauty is not a need but an ecstasy. It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth, But rather a heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/beauty-is-not-a-need-but-an-ecstasy-it-is-not-a-mouth-thirsting-nor/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) ## More by Teresa of Avila > [“Of the good things they do many will pass unnoticed, or will even not be considered good at all; but they need not fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/of-the-good-things-they-do-many-will-pass-unnoticed-or-will-even-not/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [I made you, dear, and all I make is perfect. Please come close, for I desire you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/i-made-you-dear-and-all-i-make-is-perfect-please-come-close-for-i/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [How often I failed in my duty to God, because I was not leaning on the strong pillar of prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/how-often-i-failed-in-my-duty-to-god-because-i-was-not-leaning-on-the/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Half-instructed confessors have done my soul great harm; for I could not always have such learned ones as I would have desired. They certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/half-instructed-confessors-have-done-my-soul-great-harm-for-i-could/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Truth suffers, but never dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/truth-suffers-but-never-dies/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“you will never lack so much of the water of comfort that your thirst will be intolerable;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/you-will-never-lack-so-much-of-the-water-of-comfort-that-your-thirst/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/whoever-has-god-lacks-nothing-god-alone-suffices/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Do you know when people really become spiritual? It is when they become the slaves of God and are branded with His sign, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/do-you-know-when-people-really-become-spiritual-it-is-when-they/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [How friendly we should all be with one another if nobody were interested in money and honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/how-friendly-we-should-all-be-with-one-another-if-nobody-were/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“an unrestrained infatuation with ecstasy and other extraordinary phenomena developed. These experiences were thought of as something to be obtained at all costs. Among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/an-unrestrained-infatuation-with-ecstasy-and-other-extraordinary/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“The Lord has no body now on earth but yours, no hands now but yours, no feet now but yours. Yours are the eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/the-lord-has-no-body-now-on-earth-but-yours-no-hands-now-but-yours-no/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Our greatest gain is to lose the wealth that is of such brief duration and, by comparison with eternal things, of such little worth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/our-greatest-gain-is-to-lose-the-wealth-that-is-of-such-brief/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [God has no hands or feet or voice except ours and through these He works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/god-has-no-hands-or-feet-or-voice-except-ours-and-through-these-he/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [His Majesty knows best what is suitable for us. There's no need for us to be advising Him about what He should give us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/his-majesty-knows-best-what-is-suitable-for-us-there-s-no-need-for-us/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [There is no affliction, trial, or labor difficult to endure, when we consider the torments and sufferings which Our Lord Jesus Christ endured for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/there-is-no-affliction-trial-or-labor-difficult-to-endure-when-we/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) [Explore all 267 Teresa of Avila quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) ## More Deeds quotes > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) Donald P. Ryan > [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Somehow, what's in our hearts, good or bad is eventually translated into words and deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/somehow-what-s-in-our-hearts-good-or-bad-is-eventually-translated/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-oft-the-sight-of-means-to-do-ill-deeds-makes-ill-deeds-done/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A nation of character is filled with citizens who gradually build lives based on the living awareness that their deeds are judged by eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/a-nation-of-character-is-filled-with-citizens-who-gradually-build/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [The final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/the-final-estimate-of-men-shows-that-history-cares-not-an-iota-for/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) [Browse all 2,029 Deeds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "May I not come before You with empty hands, since we are rewarded according to our deeds.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Teresa of Avila" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-hands-since-we-are-rewarded/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deeds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-hands-since-we-are-rewarded/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/teresa-of-vila-1246_deeds_may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-han_1754309.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/teresa-of-vila-1246_deeds_may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-han_1754309.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/teresa-of-vila-1246_deeds_may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-han_1754309.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“May I not come before You with empty hands, since we are rewarded according to our deeds.” — Teresa of Avila", "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": "Teresa of Avila", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "May I not come before You...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-hands-since-we-are-rewarded/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/may-i-not-come-before-you-with-empty-hands-since-we-are-rewarded/#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 } } ] } ```