“Developing a good work ethic is key. Apply yourself at whatever you do, whether you're a janitor or taking your first summer job, because that work ethic will be reflected in everything you do in life.”

“It ain't what people call you. It's what you answer to.”

“What I've been able to do with my character, Madea, and the other characters, with the jokes, is use it as an anesthetic to get to the heart and soul of real issues. And what I've found on stage over the years is that, while making people laugh, I can drop in pearls of wisdom.”

“I've never chased money. It's always been about what I can do to motivate and inspire people.”

“Forgiveness is important in families, especially when there are so many secrets that need to be healed - for the most part, every family's got them.”

“The most important thing that I learned in growing up is that forgiveness is something that, when you do it, you free yourself to move on.”

“The heart of who I am as a person and as a man is forgiveness, after forgiving my father for a lot of things that were done when I was child.”

“If you look at everything I do - even in 'Boo!' there's a message, and it's always 'faith, family, forgiveness.' That's the greatest gift that I've been given. I can get a message to the very people I grew up with, the millions who love what I do.”

“I don't know about marriage as much as I do know that I'd be a great father.”

“My mother was truly my saving grace, because she would take me to church with her. I would see my mother smiling in the choir, and I wanted to know this God that made her so happy. If I had not had that faith in my life, I don't know where I would be right now.”

“Hollywood is finally waking up to the fact that people who go to church also go to the movies. I'm not sure what took them so long to see that or how long they'll keep it up.”