--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are better givers than getters, not…" description: "\"We are better givers than getters, not because we are generous people, but because we are proud, arrogant people. The Christmas story-the one according..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/william-henry-willimon-58582_arrogant_we-are-better-givers-than-getters-not-be_1332877.jpg" --- # We are better givers than getters, not because we are… ![“We are better givers than getters, not because we are generous people, but because we are proud, arrogant people. The Christmas story-the one according to Luke, not Dickens-is not about how blessed it is to be givers but about how essential it is to see ourselves as receivers.” quote by William Henry Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/william-henry-willimon-58582_arrogant_we-are-better-givers-than-getters-not-be_1332877.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/william-henry-willimon-58582_arrogant_we-are-better-givers-than-getters-not-be_1332877.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/william-henry-willimon-58582_arrogant_we-are-better-givers-than-getters-not-be_1332877.jpg) > “We are better givers than getters, not because we are generous people, but because we are proud, arrogant people. The Christmas story-the one according to Luke, not Dickens-is not about how blessed it is to be givers but about how essential it is to see ourselves as receivers.” [William Henry Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-willimon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True generosity stems from pride, not altruism; receiving is as essential as giving. **In simple terms:** Pride drives giving, receiving matters. Key Takeaway Balance giving and receiving. Themes generosity pride humility spirituality Christmas Mood thoughtful inspirational Type theological reflective When to use this quote - church teachings - personal growth - community service Key Concepts theology human nature Questions to Reflect On - How can humility improve generosity? - In what ways does receiving enhance community? A Different Perspective Pride may lead to selfish motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) [Arrogant people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant-people/) [Better Givers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-givers-1203708/) [Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessed/) [Blessed Givers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessed-givers-4477924/) [Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dickens/) [Essentials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentials/) [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) [Generous people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous-people/) [Getters Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getters-generous-4477925/) [Giver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giver/) [Givers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/givers/) [Givers Getters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/givers-getters-2233609/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luke/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Receiver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/receiver/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [The happiest people in life are the givers, not the getters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-krause/the-happiest-people-in-life-are-the-givers-not-the-getters/) [Tom Krause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-krause/) > [My father said there were two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. The takers may eat better, but the givers sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/my-father-said-there-were-two-kinds-of-people-in-the-world-givers-and/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [There are two kinds of people: givers and takers..the takers may eat better and but the givers sleep better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikkie-mae/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-givers-and-takers-the-takers-may-eat/) [Nikkie Mae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikkie-mae/) > [Success is reciprocated by the things we put out into the world my friends and if we put out light, we will receive light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jsv/success-is-reciprocated-by-the-things-we-put-out-into-the-world-my/) [JSV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jsv/) > [There are two kinds of people in the world: GIVERS and TAKERS. The (takers) may eat better, but the (givers) sleep better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-the-world-givers-and-takers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world is composed of takers and givers, the takers eat better and the givers sleep better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-world-is-composed-of-takers-and-givers-the-takers-eat-better-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are two types of people in this world, the Givers and the Takers. The Takers sometimes eat better, but the Givers always sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-thomas/there-are-two-types-of-people-in-this-world-the-givers-and-the-takers/) [Danny Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-thomas/) > [“There’s a vast underground network for goodness at work in this world—a web of people who’ve put reading at the center of their lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/there-s-a-vast-underground-network-for-goodness-at-work-in-this-world/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Money-giving is a very good criterion of a person's mental health. Generous people are rarely mentally ill people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-menninger-dr/money-giving-is-a-very-good-criterion-of-a-person-s-mental-health/) [Karl Menninger Dr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-menninger-dr/) > [Beauty, to me, is kind, generous, and people that are humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/beauty-to-me-is-kind-generous-and-people-that-are-humble/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [“Some people can be so generous when they give nothing away!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rossana-condoleo/some-people-can-be-so-generous-when-they-give-nothing-away/) [Rossana Condoleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rossana-condoleo/) > [The American people are a very generous people and will forgive almost any weakness, with the possible, exception of stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-american-people-are-a-very-generous-people-and-will-forgive/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The literary world is filled with good and generous people. But then that's what writing is all about - empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bock/the-literary-world-is-filled-with-good-and-generous-people-but-then/) [Charles Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bock/) > [I intended to cratee you a little observation so as to thank you again considering the great things you have featured above. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilio/i-intended-to-cratee-you-a-little-observation-so-as-to-thank-you/) [Cecilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilio/) > [“If you find yourself in a room full of unkind and stingy looks and words, leave at once and search for a smart room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickie-turk/if-you-find-yourself-in-a-room-full-of-unkind-and-stingy-looks-and/) [Mickie Turk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickie-turk/) ## More by William Henry Willimon > [Preaching that is boring is preaching that talks first about us and then only tangentially about God. Preaching that is faithful is preaching that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-willimon/preaching-that-is-boring-is-preaching-that-talks-first-about-us-and/) [William Henry Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-willimon/) > [To speak the gospel skillfully without attempting to perform the gospel is a false proclamation of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-willimon/to-speak-the-gospel-skillfully-without-attempting-to-perform-the/) [William Henry Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-willimon/) > [Just when I get my church all sorted out, sheep from the goats, saved from the damned, hopeless from the hopeful, somebody makes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-willimon/just-when-i-get-my-church-all-sorted-out-sheep-from-the-goats-saved/) [William Henry Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-willimon/) > [We did not choose to believe that personal choice is the highest human virtue. Rather, we were taught, formed, forced to believe nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-willimon/we-did-not-choose-to-believe-that-personal-choice-is-the-highest/) [William Henry Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-willimon/) [Explore all 5 William Henry Willimon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-willimon/) ## More Arrogant quotes > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [ \[T\]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-after-year-a-symbol-of/) [Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I absolutely hate arrogant people, irks me to no end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-absolutely-hate-arrogant-people-irks-me-to-no-end/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Mourinho is a bit arrogant, but you've got to like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nicol/mourinho-is-a-bit-arrogant-but-you-ve-got-to-like-him/) [Steve Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nicol/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [I was spoiled and I was arrogant. I was very demanding, had an overblown image of who I was and got a reputation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judge-reinhold/i-was-spoiled-and-i-was-arrogant-i-was-very-demanding-had-an/) [Judge Reinhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judge-reinhold/) > [We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-not-being-arrogant-or-complacent-when-we-are-said-that-our/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [“So you intend to go through life never loving anyone? Just … things?” “No. I’m looking for something more.” “More than love?” “Yes.” “Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-ahdieh/so-you-intend-to-go-through-life-never-loving-anyone-just-things-no-i/) [Renee Ahdieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-ahdieh/) > [People are tired of wasteful government programs and welfare chiselers, and they are angry about the constant spiral of taxes and government regulations, arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/people-are-tired-of-wasteful-government-programs-and-welfare/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“He was a man. Handsome as sin, arrogant as fuck, and in need of at least one woman to prove he wasn’t God’s gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-blue/he-was-a-man-handsome-as-sin-arrogant-as-fuck-and-in-need-of-at-least/) [Melissa Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-blue/) > [Being nice to people gets you nowhere. Being arrogant gets you nowhere. Blackmail, now that's a thing that will get you everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-to-people-gets-you-nowhere-being-arrogant-gets-you-nowhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's amusing how arrogant people can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amusing-how-arrogant-people-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,146 Arrogant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are better givers than getters, not because we are generous people, but because we are proud, arrogant people. 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