“Compassion needs limits.”

When it comes to compassionate self-sacrifice, common sense says that we must establish appropriate boundaries. “Self-sacrifice without boundaries can be harmful,” states psychotherapist Anita Owusu.

The problem for many people arises due to the fact that, as a society, we applaud unreserved self-sacrifice. “Self-sacrifice is often viewed as a noble act—parents giving up their dreams for their children, caregivers devoting themselves entirely to others,” continues Owusu. “While these sacrifices are honored as expressions of human compassion, beneath this surface lies a complex reality. Self-sacrifice, despite its perceived nobility, can cause profound harm,” both to the giver and the receiver of the sacrificial gift.

Those who constantly give of themselves (often with no thought of reward or appreciation), can end up feeling burnt out or resentful. Constant self-sacrifice without the appropriate amount of self-care to refill one’s emotional and physical resource reservoir will ultimately destroy the caregiver.

Conversely, self-sacrificial givers can inadvertently create a culture of unrealistic expectations, especially in the workplace, when those who receive the benefits begin to expect that this is the norm and anything less is considered a substandard performance. Constantly receiving self-sacrificial gifts from caregivers, without offering anything in return, develops an unhealthy sense of dependence on the part of the beneficiary.

“While there are moments where sacrificing for the greater good is commendable,” concludes Owusu, “it’s equally essential to prioritize our own needs, establish healthy boundaries, and practice self-compassion. True altruism should not come at the expense of one’s own well-being.”

Having said that, according to this standard, Moses’ offer of his own life to save the Israelites in Exodus 32:32 is about as unbalanced an act of self-sacrifice as we can find in Scripture (second only to Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf).

Let’s face it—the people that Moses was willing to die for are ungrateful, needy, immature, short-sighted, unfaithful, impatient, idolatrous, and most of all, steeped in sin. When Moses came down from the mountain, after spending 40 glorious days with God, he was confronted with the painful realization that this group of refugees had absolutely no redeeming qualities to commend them. They only knew how to be slaves, not a freely independent nation.

And yet, Moses would willingly give up his eternal life, if only God would give them another chance. How did he develop such a selfless attitude?

For Moses, the answer is probably a complex mix of his life’s experiences: growing up in Egyptian palaces, fleeing to Midian, humbly herding sheep, and partnering with God through the plagues and the exodus from Egypt all played a part in his character formation.

His most recent experience, however, of spending 40 days in the awe-inspiring presence of God probably had as much of an impact on his character as any of those previous experiences. That deep immersion in God’s company molded him toward a more Christ-like character. By beholding, he certainly became changed.

In contrast, the multitude, rather than spending the 40 days in worshipful meditation on their relationship with God, stewed over their real and imagined tribulations. After 40 days of focusing on the negatives in their lives, they decided to toss God’s leadership for the foolishness of idolatry. They were lost without an intercessor.

In his self-sacrificing mediation between the sinful multitude and their sinless God, Moses prefigured our experience today with our loving Savior, Jesus Christ.

For Reflection

Connecting: Are you involved in any charitable organizations, outside of your local congregation? If so, what draws you to be connected to their mission?

Sharing: What do you think would have happened if Moses accepted God’s offer to make him and his posterity into a great nation?

1. God would have done exactly that—wiped out the stiff-necked Israelites and started the process over again with Moses
2. This was just a test for Moses; if Moses accepted the offer, God would remove him from leadership and find a truly self-sacrificial leader (Joshua?)
3. God would have deliberated with Moses first—“Are you sure you want me to do that?”
4. It’s probably a good thing we’ll never know
5. God didn’t make the offer without a reasonable plan to make it work, if necessary. It may have been better in the long run if Moses did go along with it
6. Other:

Applying: How do you balance Christian compassion with self-care? Is it selfish to even consider self-care?

Valuing: Who is someone in your life who has given themselves sacrificially for you? How has their example affected you—i.e., are you a better person because of their selfless acts? Have you taken time to express your appreciation recently?

~ Chuck Burkeen

Center for Creative Ministry Update

Let me start by thanking Stefani Leeper for coordinating and editing this newsletter single-handedly these past three years while I was a pastor at the Walla Walla University Church. Stefani has done an amazing job and I know you join me in offering to her our heart-felt thanks.

Stefani will still be actively involved in the ministry of the Center, but now she will have my help since I retired from full-time employment. We are both trying to adjust to not having Monte Sahlin’s participation in our content creation since he passed away in March, 2025. We share in the Sahlin family loss and wish them the abundant comfort of Heaven as they (and we) grieve his loss.

To that point, I met a colleague in Ohio last month and with Monte’s family we packed up over 100 boxes of his library that will become a lending library for theology and sociology students at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland. We also curated Monte’s papers and e-files, including several unfinished book manuscripts, that we will be prepared for publishing in keeping with the way he wrote and lived his life of compassionate service.

Monte guided the Center for Creative Ministry as its board chair for 38 years and we are honored to have as part of our mission to keep his legacy alive through the media resources we have available and will develop in the future. There will be more information to come, but for now, we want you to know we will not forget Monte and the legacy he left.

Paul Richardson | Executive Director

The Center for Creative Ministry is fully recognized by the North American Division (NAD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; it is also a 501c3 nonprofit organization which makes donations tax deductible in the U.S.