Self-sacrifice as a virtue is so exceedingly rare, it need not concern most of us at all. For an act of self-sacrifice to be virtuous, the benefit for others must be so substantial it outweighs the loss of the one sacrificed. A soldier who saves a platoon by diving on a grenade commits a virtuous act of self-sacrifice.
It is not virtuous to meet a need someone could and probably should meet for themselves, and it is disingenuous to commit such an act for the purpose of being viewed as self-sacrificing. In most instances, what passes for self-sacrifice is simply another vain attempt to win the approval of some other, including God, by conducting ourselves in a way that may benefit others, but when truth be told, benefits our ego-centric desire to be seen as good, holy, or righteous. The drive to be self-sacrificing only serves to cloak our self-indulgence.
Self-indulgence is acting on the impulses for personal satisfaction that pass through us all the time. It is more honest than our attempts to be viewed as self-sacrificing, but ultimately self-destructive since it draws us away from our deeper purpose and robs us of any lasting meaning.
Consider that which brings us the greatest joy—surrender to God who restores right relationship through our meaningful service to others. In Spirit-led service to others, whether in small acts of kindness or extraordinary acts of generosity, we find self-fulfillment. We don’t serve for the sake of recognition, because that is simply another form of self-indulgence. We readily acknowledge we serve because it brings us joy as we draw closer to Christ and to one another.
The source of all lasting joy is found in fulfilling the divine purpose for life: right relationship. Discovering, developing, and sharing our God-given gifts in the widest possible circle is the means through which we become instruments of God’s will and the coming kingdom of God. To be self-serving is inevitable, but it need not be self-indulgent; it can be self-fulfilling! And contrary to popular Christian myth, serving God by surrendering our lives to Christ and becoming an instrument of grace is rarely sacrificial, but it’s always fulfilling. Self-sacrifice is too often all about me; self-fulfillment is all about right relationship—with God and with others.
I will not seek to sacrifice myself, since it will only feed my egotistical desire for attention. Instead I will diligently discover all the gifts God has given me, and I will seek the joy of surrending my life to God who will lead me to share my gifts in an ever-widening circle of right-relationship.
