The following is part of a series exploring quotations attributed to C.S. Lewis that are questionable for one reason or another. My book (THE MISQUOTABLE C.S. LEWIS, just released, but presently only available from the publisher) collects material presented so far and will contain expressions not yet posted here (plus existing online material is updated in the book). That book will contain 75 quotations, so there are many quotes not yet posted (over two dozen). With so much material left, I hope to post a new quote each week.
There is an “at a glance” page to quickly see what has been posted so far in this series, which also includes a list of the other quotes I’ve identified as questionable. Also, if you haven’t already, consider reading the INTRODUCTION to this series to gain an understanding of the three main categories.
UPDATE (4/17/18) – The Misquotable C.S. Lewis is now available via Amazon.
“What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.”
Most quotations attributed to Lewis that end up not being from him take a good bit of searching to arrive at that conclusion. That is not the case with this one. Only a basic search is needed to learn he didn’t write this expression. But, there are still quite a few places that wrongly claim he wrote it to create confusion. In fact, the meme I adapted for the image above suggested it was originally posted on Christian artist TobyMac’s page.
Additionally, if you have read a fair amount of the writings of C.S. Lewis, then you’d likely question this quotation. This expression sounds like it is advocating a person’s effort is the only thing that matters for a person to overcome a problem. While you might find an isolated statement from time-to-time in Lewis’s writings (especially his letters) that appear to suggest this, the larger context reminds one that dependence on the Lord is important.
How did Lewis’s name become associated with this expression? The rather loose connections appear to be the fact that the actual author of the quote, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, came out with the classic children’s book, The Little Prince, in the 1940’s, and since he and Lewis come from the same generation, there is this association between them in some people’s mind that could have cause confusion. In truth, though, there is really no rhyme or reason for thinking Lewis is the author. In fact, when you consult Wind, Sand and Stars, the actual work where the quotation is actually found, you discover another sentence that should make it clear that Lewis wasn’t the author. That sentence states, “It is always the same step, but you have to take it.”
The next article is:
“If you love deeply, you’re going to get hurt badly. But it’s still worth it.”
Related Articles:
Exploring C.S. Lewis Misquotes and Misconceptions (6-part podcast series)
What Lewis NEVER Wrote (Podcast)
Not Quite Lewis – Podcast Version
Not Quite Lewis – Questionable Lewisian Quotations (Conf. Paper)
Sigh. Lewis said many good things. My favorite, if sad (and I paraphrase), is his spiritual observation that we live in occupied territory. Other people said good things, too. Is it so hard to at least try to get it right?
Well, as the Bible says, “the Lord helps those who help themselves.” The Bible doesn’t say that. Okay, well, Shakespeare said “To thine own self be true.” Which Shakespeare did say or write, though the context is satiric not sincere.
Thank you so much for your labors here and in (and as) the book!