--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I did not know that in setting out to…" description: "\"“I did not know that in setting out to change the world, I would end up being changed myself. But since my first encounter with the poor, I have found ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/zondervan-publishing-7069_change_i-did-not-know-that-in-setting-out-to-ch_364277.jpg" --- # I did not know that in setting out to change the world, I… ![“I did not know that in setting out to change the world, I would end up being changed myself. But since my first encounter with the poor, I have found that if I pray for God to move a mountain, I must be prepared to wake up next to a shovel.” quote by Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/zondervan-publishing-7069_change_i-did-not-know-that-in-setting-out-to-ch_364277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/zondervan-publishing-7069_change_i-did-not-know-that-in-setting-out-to-ch_364277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/zondervan-publishing-7069_change_i-did-not-know-that-in-setting-out-to-ch_364277.jpg) > ““I did not know that in setting out to change the world, I would end up being changed myself. But since my first encounter with the poor, I have found that if I pray for God to move a mountain, I must be prepared to wake up next to a shovel.”” [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing the world can transform the changer; confronting poverty reshapes one's perspective and demands action. **In simple terms:** Helping others changes you; be ready to act. Key Takeaway Embrace change through service. Themes service transformation poverty Mood thoughtful motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - volunteering - community work - social entrepreneurship Key Concepts empathy self‑growth activism Questions to Reflect On - What personal changes have you experienced through helping others? - How can you prepare for unexpected challenges? A Different Perspective The quote may over‑simplify complex social issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) ## Related quotes > [If you learn something that changes you, you've made progress. If you learn something that changes others, you've helped change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanie-lane/if-you-learn-something-that-changes-you-you-ve-made-progress-if-you/) Lanie Lane > [Carry yourself as one who will change the world, because you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/carry-yourself-as-one-who-will-change-the-world-because-you-will/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) > [Those who genuinely want to change the world for betterment must know that transforming our own lives at the most fundamental level actually holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/those-who-genuinely-want-to-change-the-world-for-betterment-must-know/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [“One person cannot change the world, yet the world can change because of one person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-g-janovsky/one-person-cannot-change-the-world-yet-the-world-can-change-because/) Nicolas G. Janovsky > [I'm not out to change the world. I'm out to change mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-white/i-m-not-out-to-change-the-world-i-m-out-to-change-mine/) Rodney White > [>> Everybody wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change his self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juba-larbes/everybody-wants-to-change-the-world-but-nobody-wants-to-change-his/) [Juba Larbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juba-larbes/) > [“Live each day as if it's our last', that was the conventional advice, but really who had the energy for that? What if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/live-each-day-as-if-it-s-our-last-that-was-the-conventional-advice/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/if-you-want-to-change-the-world-start-off-by-making-your-bed/) [William H. 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God, not the strength of our faith, is our hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/yet-the-same-god-who-sustained-job-s-faith-sustains-ours-god-not-the/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“Think of your feeling as a six-year-old child: you want to listen to it, and then you need to be the faith-filled grown-up who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/think-of-your-feeling-as-a-six-year-old-child-you-want-to-listen-to/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“When supernatural phenomena do not occur, what is the attitude of the writers of Scripture toward their absence? 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I believe that others, at the beginning of their ministry, were used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/i-believe-that-some-people-who-advertise-great-healing-ministries-are/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse — your whole nation — because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/in-tithes-and-offerings-you-are-under-a-curse-your-whole-nation/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“A longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/a-longing-fulfilled-is-a-tree-of-life-proverbs-13-12/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“Humility is not putting yourself down or denying your strengths; rather, it is being honest about your weaknesses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/humility-is-not-putting-yourself-down-or-denying-your-strengths/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“The day you first believed, Jesus chose you. And he believes you can, in his strength and authority, become just like him. He said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/the-day-you-first-believed-jesus-chose-you-and-he-believes-you-can-in/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“This premise of the CSBI should not be given a free ride, for to leave it as is implies that people who wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/this-premise-of-the-csbi-should-not-be-given-a-free-ride-for-to-leave/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“Christians should carry spiritual green cards to remind us that our citizenship is in heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/christians-should-carry-spiritual-green-cards-to-remind-us-that-our/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“In our case, most people don’t miss who we are as the church because they have not heard what we say or preach to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/in-our-case-most-people-don-t-miss-who-we-are-as-the-church-because/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) [Explore all 92 Zondervan Publishing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I did not know that in setting out to change the world, I would end up being changed myself. 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