Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself.
Donald Miller
About the author
Donald Miller is an American author best known for his memoirs and Christian spirituality books. He has written New York Times bestsellers like Blue Like Jazz, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, and Building a StoryBrand. Miller’s writing is honest, insightful, and often humorous as he explores faith, relationships, and finding meaning in life. The quote comes from Miller’s book Blue Like Jazz, published in 2003. In the book, Miller shares his journey of questioning his faith and rediscovering a genuine, authentic relationship with God.
The meaning of the quote
This quote from Donald Miller points out a simple but profound truth: we often learn to appreciate things by observing others’ passion for them. Think about a friend who loves a band you’d never heard of. As they rave about the lyrics and share their favourite songs, you start to understand the appeal. Or a child watching their parent tenderly care for a garden. The child absorbs the parent’s love for nurturing plants and comes to share that joy.
Miller’s words remind us that enthusiasm is contagious. When we lack a direct connection to something, witnessing another’s sincere affection for it can bridge that gap. Their passion reveals beauty and value we may have missed on our own. This insight applies broadly, from hobbies to causes to faith itself. Miller hints that sometimes the best way to kindle love is not through arguments or evidence, but by honestly embodying that love for others to see. If we want someone to care about what we care about, we must let them see how much it means to us.
This doesn’t guarantee they will feel the same way. But it opens a door. It lets them approach the thing through the lens of another’s love, discovering what makes it precious. As Miller found, watching others live out an authentic faith can stir us to seek that kind of deep, meaningful connection ourselves. His words encourage us to openly cherish what we love. In doing so, we inspire others to love it too.
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