---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While waiting for a Moses to lead us into…"
description: "\"While waiting for a Moses to lead us into the promised land, we have forgotten how to walk.\" — Wendell Johnson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/wendell-johnson-61713_forgotten_while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-int_228361.png"
---

#  While waiting for a Moses to lead us into the promised…

![“While waiting for a Moses to lead us into the promised land, we have forgotten how to walk.” quote by Wendell Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/wendell-johnson-61713_forgotten_while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-int_228361.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/wendell-johnson-61713_forgotten_while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-int_228361.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/wendell-johnson-61713_forgotten_while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-int_228361.png)

> “While waiting for a Moses to lead us into the promised land, we have forgotten how to walk.”

[Wendell Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-johnson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

We often await external saviors instead of developing our own agency.

**In simple terms:** Waiting for a leader makes us lose self‑reliance.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate personal initiative.

Themes

self‑reliance leadership agency

Mood

reflective motivational

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- team projects
- personal growth
- community activism
- education
- political movements

Key Concepts

dependence hero worship

Questions to Reflect On

- What can you do today without waiting for help?
- How does dependence affect your confidence?

A Different Perspective

Reliance on others can be realistic in crises.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moses/) [Promised land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promised-land/)

## Related quotes

> [Worldwide travel is not compulsory. Great minds have been fostered entirely by staying close to home. Moses never got further than the Promised Land.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-morris/worldwide-travel-is-not-compulsory-great-minds-have-been-fostered/)

[Jan Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-morris/)

> [“When reading the history of the Jewish people, of their flight from slavery to death, of their exchange of tyrants, I must confess that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/when-reading-the-history-of-the-jewish-people-of-their-flight-from/)

[Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/)

> [“If Moses had come through Meffis on his way to the fukkin Promised Land, them Israelites woulda been sayin’ stuff like, “Screw a buncha…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pritchard/if-moses-had-come-through-meffis-on-his-way-to-the-fukkin-promised/)

[John Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pritchard/)

> [Apple is in a position they've been in a lot of times before. They're like Moses showing the way to the promised land, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/apple-is-in-a-position-they-ve-been-in-a-lot-of-times-before-they-re/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [Moses led his people through the wilderness and he wasn't permitted to enter the Promised Land. Jesus was crucified. Mohammad founded a state which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lewis/moses-led-his-people-through-the-wilderness-and-he-wasn-t-permitted/)

[Bernard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lewis/)

> [The god which the vast majority of professing Christians love is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man, who himself has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-god-which-the-vast-majority-of-professing-christians-love-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We hear a lot about theological justifications for the conflicts, but very little about the scientific evidence, which in no way supports them. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/we-hear-a-lot-about-theological-justifications-for-the-conflicts-but/)

[Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/)

> [“So answer me, are you merely a cowardly Moses, pointing the way to the Promised Land but poisoned by doubt and so unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-vigorito/so-answer-me-are-you-merely-a-cowardly-moses-pointing-the-way-to-the/)

[Tony Vigorito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-vigorito/)

> [I do not want you to follow me or anyone else; if you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/i-do-not-want-you-to-follow-me-or-anyone-else-if-you-are-looking-for/)

[Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/)

> [I don't want you to follow me or anyone else. If you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of the capitalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/i-don-t-want-you-to-follow-me-or-anyone-else-if-you-are-looking-for-a/)

[Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/)

> [Every mother is like Moses. She does not enter the promised land. She prepares a world she will not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/every-mother-is-like-moses-she-does-not-enter-the-promised-land-she/)

[Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/)

> [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/)

[Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/)

> [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/)

[John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/)

> [J. Budziszewski is perhaps the clearest and most eloquent natural lawyer writing today. When reading his works I often find myself amazed by his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-j-beckwith/j-budziszewski-is-perhaps-the-clearest-and-most-eloquent-natural/)

[Francis J. Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-j-beckwith/)

> [“BELIEF - It’s the shining, lighthouse beacon that relentlessly lights the path to your personal utopia, your promised land your infinite wishes and fantasies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-khatkar/belief-it-s-the-shining-lighthouse-beacon-that-relentlessly-lights/)

[Michael Khatkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-khatkar/)

## More by Wendell Johnson

> [“A rose by any other name Would never, never smell the same And cunning is the nose that knows An onion that's been called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-johnson/a-rose-by-any-other-name-would-never-never-smell-the-same-and-cunning/)

[Wendell Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-johnson/)

> [If we are ever to become what we might have been, we must cease being who we've become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-johnson/if-we-are-ever-to-become-what-we-might-have-been-we-must-cease-being/)

[Wendell Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-johnson/)

> [Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-johnson/always-and-never-are-two-words-you-should-always-remember-never-to-use/)

[Wendell Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-johnson/)

> [To a mouse, cheese is cheese. That is why mouse traps are effective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-johnson/to-a-mouse-cheese-is-cheese-that-is-why-mouse-traps-are-effective/)

[Wendell Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-johnson/)

[Explore all 5 Wendell Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-johnson/)

## More Forgotten quotes

> [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/)

[Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/)

> [Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogden-stiers/family-means-no-one-gets-left-behind-or-forgotten/)

[David Ogden Stiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogden-stiers/)

> [I was just going to say something, but I forgot when I started looking at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-just-going-to-say-something-but-i-forgot-when-i-started-looking/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Black women's intersectional experiences of racism and sexism have been a central but forgotten dynamic in the unfolding of feminist and antiracist agendas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/black-women-s-intersectional-experiences-of-racism-and-sexism-have/)

[Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/)

> [I mean, sitcoms shouldn't be doing 'Saturday Night Live.' You can't just do bit after bit after bit. You have to string it together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-dewitt/i-mean-sitcoms-shouldn-t-be-doing-saturday-night-live-you-can-t-just/)

[Joyce DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-dewitt/)

> [People paid money for tickets to see us and be entertained by us, and we've never forgotten that. Anything after that was a bonus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-young/people-paid-money-for-tickets-to-see-us-and-be-entertained-by-us-and/)

[Malcolm Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-young/)

> [“Forgotten hero was never the real hero, real hero can not be forgotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/forgotten-hero-was-never-the-real-hero-real-hero-can-not-be-forgotten/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/we-began-as-mineral-we-emerged-into-plant-life-and-into-the-animal/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [It's the frames which make some things important and some things forgotten. It's all only frames from which the content rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-babitz/it-s-the-frames-which-make-some-things-important-and-some-things/)

[Eve Babitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-babitz/)

> [Our public officials have forgotten that they are ultimately accountable to the people who put them in office, that the information they keep in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/our-public-officials-have-forgotten-that-they-are-ultimately/)

[Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/)

> [I have never forgotten a picture that I ever made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-bourke-white/i-have-never-forgotten-a-picture-that-i-ever-made/)

[Margaret Bourke-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-bourke-white/)

> [I had forgotten that talking to you is like trying to pet a cactus." Saiman said dryly. "Thank you for reminding me." "Always happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-had-forgotten-that-talking-to-you-is-like-trying-to-pet-a-cactus/)

[Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/)

> [Im afraid of being forgotten. Because, it seems everyone I get close to, ends up forgetting me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arcine-arciniegas/im-afraid-of-being-forgotten-because-it-seems-everyone-i-get-close-to/)

[Arcine Arciniegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arcine-arciniegas/)

> [A lover asked his beloved, Do you love yourself more than you love me? Beloved replied, I have died to myself and I live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-lover-asked-his-beloved-do-you-love-yourself-more-than-you-love-me/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I had forgotten how wonderful it is to stand on a bridge and catch the scent of rain in the air. I had forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-steinbach/i-had-forgotten-how-wonderful-it-is-to-stand-on-a-bridge-and-catch/)

[Alice Steinbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-steinbach/)

Browse all 2,870 Forgotten quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "While waiting for a Moses to lead us into the promised land, we have forgotten how to walk.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Wendell Johnson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-johnson/while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-into-the-promised-land-we-have/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Forgotten"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-johnson/while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-into-the-promised-land-we-have/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/wendell-johnson-61713_forgotten_while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-int_228361.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/wendell-johnson-61713_forgotten_while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-int_228361.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/wendell-johnson-61713_forgotten_while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-int_228361.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“While waiting for a Moses to lead us into the promised land, we have forgotten how to walk.” — Wendell Johnson",
                "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": "Wendell Johnson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-johnson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "While waiting for a Moses to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-johnson/while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-into-the-promised-land-we-have/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-johnson/while-waiting-for-a-moses-to-lead-us-into-the-promised-land-we-have/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
