T. D. Jakes quotes
1957 – · Bishop, author, filmmaker and motivational preacher
About T. D. Jakes
Born in 1957 in West Virginia, Thomas Dexter Jakes Sr. rose from modest beginnings to national prominence as a pastor, speaker, author and filmmaker. As leader of the non‑denominational The Potter’s House, he combines Pentecostal/charismatic theology with themes of resilience, purpose, dignity and a media-savvy approach to spiritual leadership.
Quotes
“I have certain standards for myself so if something drops beneath that standard or if the opportunity doesn’t fit who I am authentically at my core — I don’t invest time where my brand isn’t respected or where what I have to offer isn’t appreciated.”
Source: T.D. Jakes Talks: Second Chances, Humble Beginnings & Knowing Your Worth, Los Angeles Sentinel, Sept 21, 2016 · Check the source
Disputed attributionWhat we know
- What is documented
- The wording appears in a 2016 Los Angeles Sentinel interview report, supporting attribution to T. D. Jakes though the original transcript is not included here.
- What remains uncertain
- Credible but disputed: the quote is supported by a secondary report of a specific interview, yet no primary-source transcript was verified in this research.
This line makes a practical point: your time and reputation are choices to guard. It says refusal can be an act of discipline, not pride, and frames opportunities as something that must match your core identity before you invest.
“If you don’t find a way to love a flawed person, secretly you’re teaching yourself that you are not lovable because of your flaws.”
Source: no specific work is documented · Check the source
Disputed attributionWhat we know
- What is documented
- The sentence is widely attributed to T. D. Jakes across quote compilations, but no searchable primary book, sermon transcript, or publisher text has been found for this exact wording.
- What remains uncertain
- The attribution is disputed/weakly sourced; the wording may be a paraphrase or variant circulating online rather than a verified line from a specific published or transcribed work.
The line says refusing to love someone’s imperfections teaches you, in secret, that your own flaws make you unlovable. It ties into modern themes of grace and healing and fits T. D. Jakes’s known emphasis on worth beyond perfection. The wording mainly appears in online quote collections and is not firmly sourced to a primary text.