Egoísmo
O egoísmo é o oposto do amor cristão. Jesus nos ensinou a negar a nós mesmos, tomar a cruz e segui-lo. A vida cristã é vida de entrega, serviço e generosidade.
Negar-se a si mesmo
Se alguém quer vir após mim, negue-se a si mesmo. O caminho de Cristo é o caminho da auto-entrega e do serviço.
34 And whanne the puple was clepid togidere, with hise disciplis, he seide to hem, If ony man wole come after me, denye he hym silf, and take his cros, and sue he me.
31 This is the firste maundement. And the secounde is lijk to this, Thou schalt loue thi neiybore as thi silf. Ther is noon other maundement gretter than these.
20 And now lyue not Y, but Crist lyueth in me. But that Y lyue now in fleisch, Y lyue in the feith of Goddis sone, that louede me, and yaf hym silf for me.
3 no thing bi strijf, nether by veyn glorie, but in mekenesse, demynge eche othere to be heiyer than hym silf;
24 But Y drede no thing of these, nether Y make my lijf preciousere than my silf, so that Y end my cours, and the mynysterie of the word, which Y resseyuede of the Lord Jhesu, to witnesse the gospel of the grace of God.
Viver para os outros
Ninguém busque o próprio interesse, mas o do próximo. O amor não busca os seus próprios interesses.
24 No man seke that thing that is his owne, but that thing that is of an othere.
4 Charite is pacient, it is benygne; charite enuyeth not, it doith not wickidli, it is not blowun,5 it is not coueytouse, it sekith not tho thingis that ben hise owne, it is not stirid to wraththe, it thenkith not yuel,
18 No man disseyue hym silf. If ony man among you is seyn to be wiys in this world, be he maad a fool, that he be wijs.
2 Eche of vs plese to his neiybore in good, to edificacioun.
25 A soule that blessith, schal be maad fat; and he that fillith, schal be fillid also.
2 A fool resseyueth not the wordis of prudence; no but thou seie tho thingis, that ben turned in his herte.
16 For where is enuye and strijf, there is vnstidfastnesse and al schrewid werk.