Brethren, for Christ’s sake fill up your lives with good works, even though the world does not appreciate your efforts and gives you no credit. This is self-denial. Selfishness is the most galling yoke the members of the church ever placed upon their necks, but there is much of it cherished by those who profess to be Christ’s followers. All you have belongs to God. Be guarded, lest you selfishly hoard the bounties He has given you for the widow and the fatherless. Christ left His glory, His honor, His high command, and for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. Now the question comes home: What will we individually do for Jesus, who gave His life for a ruined world? {4T 627.2}

Brødre, for Kristi skyld, fyld jeres liv med gode gerninger, selv om verden ikke påskønner jeres arbejde og ikke giver jer anseelse. Dette er selvfornægtelse. Selviskhed er det mest snærende åg menighedsmedlemmer nogensinde har haft om deres halse, men der er mange, bekendende sig som Kristi efterfølgere, som værner om den. Alt hvad i har tilhører Gud. Vær på vagt, så jeres selviskhed ikke ophober de gaver han har givet jer, til enker og faderløse. Kristus forlod sin herlighed, sin ære, sin høje rang og for vor skyld blev fattig, så vi ved hans armod kunne blive rige. Nu kommer spørgsmålet til mig: Hvad vil vi hver især gøre for Jesus, som gav sit liv for en ødelagt verden?