Self-sacrifice n. Ego sacrifice; selflessness.
Self-sacrifice is more than the kindness often associated with acts of goodwill and compassion. It goes a step further by putting others' needs above one's own, even if it involves personal sacrifice. It can also be willingness, in the interest of cooperation, in loving patience, to let the other party have their way for now. It's a step, along the way, to becoming a blessing to everyone and everything. Cooperation is the first chapter in Edgar Cayce's Search for God Book, right after Meditation.
Self-sacrifice is one of the Fruits of the Spirit and directly related to many of The Universal Laws beyond fulfilling the basic biological laws of self: physical preservation and perpetuation of self via procreation. The needs of Ubiquity outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
"The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
Behavioral studies on prosocial action show that people who repeatedly choose cooperative sacrifice tend to increase trust within groups, improving long-term outcomes for everyone involved.
A flame burns away,
The self, for others' brightness,
Love's eternal glow.