God helps those who help themselves

The phrase "God helps those who help themselves" is a popular motto that emphasizes the importance of self-initiative and activity.

The phrase originated in ancient Greece and may originally have been proverbial. It is illustrated by two of Aesop's Fables and a similar sentiment is found in ancient Greek drama. Although it has been commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin, the modern English wording appears earlier in Algernon Sidney's work.

The phrase is often mistaken as a scriptural quote, but is not stated verbatim in the Bible. However, there are many verses which underscore believers' duties to work both for themselves and their families (for example Proverbs at 6:10-12, 12:11, 12:24, 13:4, I Timothy 5:8.

Some Christians have criticized the expression as being contrary to the Bible's message of God's grace. A variant of the phrase, however, can be found in the Quran (13:11).

Origin

An illustration of the fable by Walter Crane in Baby’s Own Aesop (1887)

The sentiment appears in ancient Greek tragedies of which only fragments now remain. In his Philoctetes (c.409 BC), Sophocles wrote, "No good e'er comes of leisure purposeless; And heaven ne’er helps the men who will not act." And in the Hippolytus (428BC) of Euripides appears the speech, "Try first thyself, and after call in God; For to the worker God himself lends aid."

A similar version of this saying "God himself helps those who dare" better translated as "divinity helps those who dare" "audentes deus ipse iuuat" comes from Ovid, Metamorphoses, 10.586. The context of the quote is from the lips of Hippomenes (who once spoke arrogantly feeling superior to other mortals who had failed) now spoke with some trepidation to win a foot race against Atalanta and so win her as his bride ("But why," he cries, "is my chance in the race untried? Divinity helps those who dare."). Many more before him had tried failed and were put to death as the terms of the race decreed. In the endeavor Hippomenes wins the heart of Atalanta – though she was unaware of her own feelings for the concept of love was foreign to her. He won the race only by the aid of the goddess Venus and three golden apples plucked from the tree she showed him in the Field Tamasus in Cyprus. During the race (which he was sure to lose) Hippomenes tossed the golden apples as bait. Distracted by their beauty and value Atalanta ran off course chasing each one. Hippomenes finished the race first and Atalanta conceded to marry, something she in fact wanted but couldn't give herself to do without being defeated in the race. However, because he forgot to give his gifts of gratitude to Venus for helping him, she became angry and called upon Diana, the moon Goddess, to punish them both. One night Diana turned them into lions and they stayed that way forever.

• Moral #1: Don’t say you are better than someone because you could both get hurt.
• Moral #2: When needed, don't be afraid to ask for help.
• Moral #3: Abandon those habits and coping mechanisms which have outlasted their usefulness, learning to open your heart and mind.
• Moral #4: Always show gratitude and honor those who give you aid along the path of life.

The same concept is found in the fable of Hercules and the Wagoner, first recorded by Babrius in the 1st century AD. In it, a wagon falls into a ravine, or in later versions becomes mired, but when its driver appeals to Hercules for help, he is told to get to work himself. Aesop is also credited with a similar fable about a man who calls on the goddess Athena for help when his ship is wrecked and is advised to try swimming first. It has been conjectured that both stories were created to illustrate an already existing proverb.

The French author Jean de La Fontaine also adapted the first of these fables as Le chartier embourbé (Fables VI.18) and draws the moral Aide-toi, le ciel t'aidera. (Help yourself and Heaven will help you too). A little earlier, George Herbert had included "Help thyself, and God will help thee" in his proverb collection, Jacula Prudentum (1651). But it was the English political theorist Algernon Sidney who originated the now familiar wording, "God helps those who help themselves", apparently the first exact rendering of the phrase. Benjamin Franklin later used it in his Poor Richard's Almanack (1736) and has been widely quoted.

A passage with similar sentiments can be found in the Quran, Chapter 13:11: "Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves."

Other historic uses

• The Canadian society Aide-toi, le Ciel t’aidera (Help yourself and Heaven will help you too) is credited with introducing the celebration of Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day for French Canadians, and was founded by Louis-Victor Sicotte
• Aide-toi et Dieu t'aidera (Help yourself, and God will help you) was the motto on the ship's wheel of the famous UK-built Confederate sea raider CSS Alabama, captained by Raphael Semmes during the American Civil War.
• Trust in God But Tie Your Camel is an Arab proverb with a similar meaning. It is also one of the reported sayings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. According to Tirmidhi, one day Mohammed noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it. He asked the Bedouin, "Why don't you tie down your camel?" The Bedouin answered, "I placed my trust in Allah." At that, Mohammed said, "Tie your camel and place your trust in Allah."

Prevalence and assessment

The phrase is often quoted to emphasize the importance of taking initiative. There is also a relationship to the Parable of the Faithful Servant, and the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which has a similar eschatological theme: be prepared for the day of reckoning.

The argument has been made that this is a non-Biblical concept despite scriptural authorities including those cited above.

The Concept as Biblical (disputed):

All statements in this article as to the Biblical vs. non-Biblical nature of this proposition should be considered both in light of these scriptural authorities and potential for bias in counter-argument (See below, i.e. O'Reilly v. Colbert, Barna's claims re: Americans' "unfamiliarity with the Bible" given that these scriptures clearly suggest an ethic of self-reliance).

Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

Proverbs 6:10-12 - A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

Proverbs 12:11 - He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

Proverbs 12:24 - Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

Proverbs 13:4 - The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

Matthew 5:3-4 - God blesses those who realize their need for him; and who mourn will be comforted.

I Timothy 5:8 - If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

The Concept as Non-Biblical (disputed):

The beliefs of Americans regarding this phrase and the Bible has been studied by Christian demographer and pollster George Barna of The Barna Group. To the statement "The Bible teaches that God helps those who help themselves"; 53% of Americans agree strongly, 22% agree somewhat, 7% disagree somewhat, 14% disagree strongly, and 5% stated they don't know. Of "born-again" Christians 68% agreed, and 81% of non "born-again" Christians agreed with the statement. In a February 2000 poll, 53% strongly agreed and 22% agreed somewhat that the Bible teaches the phrase. Of the 14 questions asked, this was the least biblical response, according to Barna. A poll in the late 1990s showed the majority (81%) believe the concept is taught by the Bible, another stating 82%.

Despite being of non-Biblical origin, the phrase topped a poll of the most widely known Bible verses. Seventy-five percent of American teenagers said they believed that it was the central message of the Bible.

Barna critiques this as evidence of Americans' unfamiliarity with the Bible and believes that the statement actually conflicts with the doctrine of Grace in Christianity. It "suggests a spiritual self-reliance inconsistent with Christianity" according to David Kinnaman, vice president of the Barna Research Group. Christian minister Erwin Lutzer argues there is some support for this saying in the Bible (2 Thessalonians 3:10, James 4:8), however much more often God helps those who cannot help themselves, which is what grace is about (the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, Ephesians 2:4–5, Romans 4:4–5). The statement is often criticised as espousing Semi-Pelagian model of salvation, which most Christians denounce as heresy.

In popular culture

The phrase has featured in United States popular culture. In a "Jaywalking" sketch on The Tonight Show, comedian host Jay Leno asked random people on the street to name one of the Ten Commandments. The most popular response given was "God helps those who help themselves." Political commentator Bill O'Reilly employed the phrase, in responding to Jim McDermott who argued, "This is Christmas time. We talk about Good Samaritans, the poor, the little baby Jesus in the cradle and all this stuff. And then we say to the unemployed we won't give you a check to feed your family. That's simply wrong." O'Reilly argued for a more selective approach to unemployment benefits, and the importance of individual responsibility, concluding "while Jesus promoted charity at the highest level, he was not self-destructive. The Lord helps those who help themselves. Does he not?" Political comedian Stephen Colbert parodied him in response, concluding in character, "if this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we've got to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that he commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition; and then admit that we just don't want to do it." The phrase was also mentioned on the hit television series Supernatural during the "BABY" episode 11.04. In the episode a Young John Winchester, comes to his son Sam Winchester in a dream and says it. Sam wakes up in the car and tells his brother about the vision he just had and what John said. Dean then reveals that the quote is not in the bible, but is actually from an old Aesop tale.

See also

• Opium of the people
• Trust in God and keep your powder dry