The Prophet covers multiple themes, but the overall message Gibran tries to convey is the idea that humans can only grow, or "evolve," spiritually by examining both the wonders and the violence of the universe. Gibran believed that both the amazing and ugly aspects of life on Earth are to be embraced in order to gain knowledge, truth, and harmony with the self and others.

Christianity also plays an influential role in Gibran's poetry and fiction. Gibran uses Christian concepts, symbolism, and imagery to convey his own philosophical ideas. If there is a singular thesis in Gibran's literary works, it is the concept of universal love, which is an all-encompassing energy that all living things in the universe can possess. It is akin to the Abrahamic faiths' concept of "God's love."