--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Have you noticed the words which Old…" description: "\"“Have you noticed the words which Old Testament people use when someone important calls them by name? They don't say \"What?\" or \"Yes?\" They answer with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/walter-wangerin-jr-25465_old-testament_have-you-noticed-the-words-which-old-tes_620521.jpg" --- # Have you noticed the words which Old Testament people use… ![“Have you noticed the words which Old Testament people use when someone important calls them by name? They don't say "What?" or "Yes?" They answer with the curious sentence, "Here I am". So much is in that sentence: readiness to respond, a willing servitude, an offering of oneself to the other.” quote by Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/walter-wangerin-jr-25465_old-testament_have-you-noticed-the-words-which-old-tes_620521.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/walter-wangerin-jr-25465_old-testament_have-you-noticed-the-words-which-old-tes_620521.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/walter-wangerin-jr-25465_old-testament_have-you-noticed-the-words-which-old-tes_620521.jpg) > ““Have you noticed the words which Old Testament people use when someone important calls them by name? They don't say "What?" or "Yes?" They answer with the curious sentence, "Here I am". So much is in that sentence: readiness to respond, a willing servitude, an offering of oneself to the other.”” [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A true servant responds instantly and willingly when called, offering themselves fully to the caller. **In simple terms:** Answering “Here I am” shows readiness and self‑offering. Key Takeaway Be ready to serve when needed. Themes service readiness humility calling Mood reflective devotional Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - mentorship - spiritual practice - team dynamics Key Concepts self‑sacrifice identity faith Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance readiness with self‑care? - When should you say no? A Different Perspective May lead to exploitation if boundaries aren't set. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curious Sentence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious-sentence-5021386/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) [Respond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respond/) [Respond Willing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respond-willing-3656791/) [Sentence Readiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentence-readiness-3656793/) ## Related quotes > [“Have you noticed the words which Old Testament people use when someone important calls them by name? They don't say "What?" or "Yes?" They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/have-you-noticed-the-words-which-old-testament-people-use-when-2/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [One of the first places where I started to respond to song lyrics was in reggae music. 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Current scholarship, to my knowledge, assumes that the material that constitutes the Old Testament was put together from various oral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/who-wrote-the-bible-current-scholarship-to-my-knowledge-assumes-that/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“‎A careful reading of the Old and New Testaments shows that idolatry is nothing like the crude picture that springs to mind of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-keyes/a-careful-reading-of-the-old-and-new-testaments-shows-that-idolatry/) [Richard Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-keyes/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) [Twe Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twe-stephens/) > [“May Christ, indeed, be the theme of your song. CONCLUSION If you are like me, this may be the first thing in the book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-christ-indeed-be-the-theme-of-your-song-conclusion-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Jesus was not just a man filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or blessed with the presence of God, like the prophets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-g-norris/jesus-was-not-just-a-man-filled-with-the-baptism-of-the-holy-spirit/) [S.G. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-g-norris/) > [“Jesus and Paul knew the Old Testament completely. Their comments about divorce were meant to add to, not replace or change, what was already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-abbott/jesus-and-paul-knew-the-old-testament-completely-their-comments-about/) [Caroline Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-abbott/) > [“days of the earliest Church? I ask you: Do you want things to go on as usual, or do you want to see God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/days-of-the-earliest-church-i-ask-you-do-you-want-things-to-go-on-as/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) ## More by Walter Wangerin Jr > [“Eurus thrashes, but Rutt holds on. She crushes the bones of his jaws and still holds on until he suffocates and dies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/eurus-thrashes-but-rutt-holds-on-she-crushes-the-bones-of-his-jaws/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“He went wordless, and wordless he sat beside her. He knew the size of her sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/he-went-wordless-and-wordless-he-sat-beside-her-he-knew-the-size-of/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“Her ballad did nothing to make the serpants lovely. Her ballad hid nothing of their dread. 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It was an act so completely focused upon the Christ that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/for-what-was-your-gesture-an-act-of-pure-love-for-jesus-particularly/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“: “Behold the Rooster who suffers much more than he must. Ah, Chauntecleer, Chauntecleer. Why do you suffer today and tomorrow?” oozed the compassionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/behold-the-rooster-who-suffers-much-more-than-he-must-ah-chauntecleer/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“Almost as evil as the stench was the silence. Senex, however poorly he had ended his rule, had always remembered the canonical crows. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/almost-as-evil-as-the-stench-was-the-silence-senex-however-poorly-he/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“How many battles make a war?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/how-many-battles-make-a-war/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“Mutuality is accomplished by two whole persons; and if each partner truly intends to be but the fraction of a relationship (thinking my whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/mutuality-is-accomplished-by-two-whole-persons-and-if-each-partner/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) [Explore all 23 Walter Wangerin Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) ## More Old testament quotes > [“days of the earliest Church? I ask you: Do you want things to go on as usual, or do you want to see God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/days-of-the-earliest-church-i-ask-you-do-you-want-things-to-go-on-as/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Jesus and Paul knew the Old Testament completely. Their comments about divorce were meant to add to, not replace or change, what was already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-abbott/jesus-and-paul-knew-the-old-testament-completely-their-comments-about/) [Caroline Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-abbott/) > [“Jesus was not just a man filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or blessed with the presence of God, like the prophets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-g-norris/jesus-was-not-just-a-man-filled-with-the-baptism-of-the-holy-spirit/) [S.G. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-g-norris/) > [“May Christ, indeed, be the theme of your song. CONCLUSION If you are like me, this may be the first thing in the book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-christ-indeed-be-the-theme-of-your-song-conclusion-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) [Twe Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twe-stephens/) > [“‎A careful reading of the Old and New Testaments shows that idolatry is nothing like the crude picture that springs to mind of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-keyes/a-careful-reading-of-the-old-and-new-testaments-shows-that-idolatry/) [Richard Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-keyes/) > [Who wrote the Bible? 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Or New Testament, once Our Heavenly Father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/which-god-is-the-forgiving-one-exactly-old-testament-where-he-got-his/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) [Browse all 606 Old testament quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Have you noticed the words which Old Testament people use when someone important calls them by name? They don't say \"What?\" or \"Yes?\" They answer with the curious sentence, \"Here I am\". 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