Selflessness – Sermon Illustration Ideas

Your Ripple Effect

loving-kindness, metaphor, pebble, ripple effect, Selflessness

“Have you ever thought of yourself as a pebble? Metaphorically speaking, on the ‘pond of life’ that is exactly what you are when you…

Bad Priorities

careers, difficult, in order, intermingle, Needs, Priorities, Selflessness

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO Documentary Films, 2020) is a true crime series, based on the bestselling book by the late Michelle McNamara,…

A Sacrificial Act On Behalf Of Another

Christ's Sacrifice, Jesus' Death, Love, Self-Sacrifice, Selflessness

In the novel The Hunger Games, the nation of Panem has a Capitol that rules over twelve districts. Every year a lottery is held…

“Crab Bucket Syndrome”

Helping others, Jealousy, Selflessness, Support

“Crab bucket syndrome,” or “crab mentality,” is observed when crabs struggle to get out of a bucket but are pulled back down by the…

Gaining Perspective

Helping others, Perspective, Selflessness, Serving, Serving Others

In the Netflix docuseries Down to Earth, Zac Efron and Darin Olien visit locations all around the world. In Puerto Rico, Zac witnesses the…

Practicing Patience

Loving Others, Patience, Practice, Selfishness, Selflessness, Spiritual Growth

Patience is hard work. Just consider your own driving practices—how it’s hard to wait for the slow person with their turn signal on to…

“I’m Stuffed”

Father, Generosity, Giving, Leadership, Love, Selflessness

Leadership involves sacrifice. This scene from the movie Cinderella Man shows what personal sacrifice looks like and how, sometimes when you are leading, you…

Living In Community

Acceptance, Colossians 3:12, Community, Empathy, Hospitality, Humility, James 2:13, Kindness, Luke 6:36, Mercy, Micah 6:8, Sacrifice, Selflessness, Titus 3:5, Welcome

One episode of the podcast Invisibilia highlighted the efficacy of community-based treatment for mental illness. In Geel, Belgium, families have “fostered” those with mental…

Choosing Happiness

1 Peter 5:6, Christ's Character, Discipline, Ephesians 4:2, Generosity, Gratitude, Happiness, Humility, Identity, Love, Philippians 2:3, Proverbs 11:2, Romans 12:16, Selflessness, Trust

Gretchen Rubin is known for her book, The Happiness Project. In it, she writes, “The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish…