--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The trouble with being a priest was that…" description: "\"The trouble with being a priest was that you eventually had to take the advice you gave to others.\" — Walter M. Miller, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_advice_the-trouble-with-being-a-priest-was-that_477641.jpg" --- # The trouble with being a priest was that you eventually… ![“The trouble with being a priest was that you eventually had to take the advice you gave to others.” quote by Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_advice_the-trouble-with-being-a-priest-was-that_477641.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_advice_the-trouble-with-being-a-priest-was-that_477641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_advice_the-trouble-with-being-a-priest-was-that_477641.jpg) > “The trouble with being a priest was that you eventually had to take the advice you gave to others.” [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A priest eventually must follow his own counsel, revealing the difficulty of living by one's own advice. **In simple terms:** Priests must heed their own advice. Key Takeaway Practice what you preach. Themes responsibility hypocrisy wisdom Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - counseling - spiritual guidance - personal decisions Key Concepts ethical consistency self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever struggle to follow your own guidance? - How can you align advice with personal action? 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N. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-n-wilson/) > [“We priests are in some ways a sad group of men. Born into the world to render service to mankind, there is no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shusaku-endo/we-priests-are-in-some-ways-a-sad-group-of-men-born-into-the-world-to/) [Shūsaku Endō](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shusaku-endo/) > [A priest is the God-bearer or Christ-bearer, a living Eucharist of the divine presence, bringing a sympathetic ear and a compassionate heart in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-middleton/a-priest-is-the-god-bearer-or-christ-bearer-a-living-eucharist-of-the/) [Arthur Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-middleton/) > [In the Eucharist, priest and people together come to concelebrate. 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I wouldn't want to just sit around whispering and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/perfect-that-s-our-plan-then-but-you-ll-have-to-give-up-being-a/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [Priest organizations around the country, both local and national, should realize that their membership has a serious image problem and undertake programs to improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-greeley/priest-organizations-around-the-country-both-local-and-national/) [Andrew Greeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-greeley/) > [A priest is a man vowed, trained, and consecrated, a man belonging to a special corps, and necessarily with an intense esprit de corps.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/a-priest-is-a-man-vowed-trained-and-consecrated-a-man-belonging-to-a/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [To image the being of God towards the world, to be the priest of creation, is to behave towards the world in all its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-gunton/to-image-the-being-of-god-towards-the-world-to-be-the-priest-of/) [Colin Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-gunton/) > [People ask me what I think about that woman priest thing. What, a woman priest? Women priests. Great, great. Now there's priests of both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/people-ask-me-what-i-think-about-that-woman-priest-thing-what-a-woman/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [ \[To a priest who smoked:\] What a shame for a man to dress like a saint and smell like a devil! ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-nation/to-a-priest-who-smoked-what-a-shame-for-a-man-to-dress-like-a-saint/) [Carrie Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-nation/) > [So long as the priest, that professional negator, slanderer and poisoner of life, is regarded as a superior type of human being, there cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/so-long-as-the-priest-that-professional-negator-slanderer-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Walter M. Miller, Jr > [The wild black scavengers of the skies laid their eggs in season and lovingly fed their young. They soared high over prairies and mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/the-wild-black-scavengers-of-the-skies-laid-their-eggs-in-season-and/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > […to abuse the intellect for reasons of pride, vanity, or escape from responsibility, is the fruit of that same tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/to-abuse-the-intellect-for-reasons-of-pride-vanity-or-escape-from/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [Because a doubt is not a denial. Doubt is a powerful tool, and it should be applied to history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/because-a-doubt-is-not-a-denial-doubt-is-a-powerful-tool-and-it/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [The captain looked defensive. "You regard our customs as primitive?"Every society to its own tastes, captain. 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Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [It is said that water is for cattle and farmers, that milk is for children and blood for men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/it-is-said-that-water-is-for-cattle-and-farmers-that-milk-is-for/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [But neither infinite power nor infinite wisdom could bestow godhood upon men. For that there would have to be infinite love as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/but-neither-infinite-power-nor-infinite-wisdom-could-bestow-godhood/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [Men must fumble awhile with error to separate it from truth, I think- as long as they don't seize the error hungrily because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/men-must-fumble-awhile-with-error-to-separate-it-from-truth-i-think/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [Ask for an omen, then stone it when it comes -- de essentia hominum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-comes-de-essentia-hominum/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [One should be embarrassed to speak of God in the third person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/one-should-be-embarrassed-to-speak-of-god-in-the-third-person/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [Soon the sun will set'- is that prophecy? No, it's merely an assertion of faith in the consistency of events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/soon-the-sun-will-set-is-that-prophecy-no-it-s-merely-an-assertion-of/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [Listen, my dear Cors, why don't you forgive God for allowing pain? If He didn't allow it, human courage, bravery, nobility, and self-sacrifice would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/listen-my-dear-cors-why-don-t-you-forgive-god-for-allowing-pain-if-he/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [I'm not so sure he's mad, Father. Just a little devious in his sanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/i-m-not-so-sure-he-s-mad-father-just-a-little-devious-in-his-sanity/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [When Holy Church occasionally hinted that she still considered her authority to be supreme over all nations and superior to the authority of states,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/when-holy-church-occasionally-hinted-that-she-still-considered-her/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) [Explore all 23 Walter M. Miller, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. 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Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. 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