--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Selfless love is always costly; fear…" description: "\"Selfless love is always costly; fear can't afford it, pride doesn't understand it and friends never forget it.\" — Bob Goff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/bob-goff-1182_fear_selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can_903003.png" --- # Selfless love is always costly; fear can't afford it… ![“Selfless love is always costly; fear can't afford it, pride doesn't understand it and friends never forget it.” quote by Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/bob-goff-1182_fear_selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can_903003.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/bob-goff-1182_fear_selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can_903003.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/bob-goff-1182_fear_selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can_903003.png) > “Selfless love is always costly; fear can't afford it, pride doesn't understand it and friends never forget it.” [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Selfless love demands sacrifice; fear, pride, and memory complicate it. **In simple terms:** True love costs, and emotions make it hard. Key Takeaway Give love freely, despite obstacles. Themes love selflessness fear pride memory Mood empathetic thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - family caregiving - friendship support - volunteering - romantic relationships Key Concepts sacrifice emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What fears hold you back from loving selflessly? - How can you overcome pride in relationships? A Different Perspective Fear and pride can prevent giving love fully. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afford Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afford-pride-1258867/) [Costly Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/costly-fear-1258866/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forget it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget-it/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Costly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-costly-1258865/) [Love is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-is/) [Never forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-forget/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Selfless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfless/) [Selfless love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfless-love/) ## Related quotes > [“All real, life-changing love is costly, substitutionary sacrifice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/all-real-life-changing-love-is-costly-substitutionary-sacrifice/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Love is costly. T forgive in love costs us our sense of justice. To serve in love costs us time. To share in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/love-is-costly-t-forgive-in-love-costs-us-our-sense-of-justice-to/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [“God's love is a costly love. It never takes the easy path away from relationships. Instead, it plots how to move towards other people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-t-welch/god-s-love-is-a-costly-love-it-never-takes-the-easy-path-away-from/) [Edward T. Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-t-welch/) > [And while we stand with conviction and courage, we must live with compassion. Amid a world with massive social needs around us, ranging from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/and-while-we-stand-with-conviction-and-courage-we-must-live-with/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [Great calm, generous detachment, selfless love, disinterested effort: these are what make for success in life. If you can find peace in yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/great-calm-generous-detachment-selfless-love-disinterested-effort/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The selfless love that we give to others, to the point of being willing to sacrifice our lives for them, is all the proof…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/the-selfless-love-that-we-give-to-others-to-the-point-of-being/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Selfless engagements requires a state of mind of higher elevations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jr-grey/selfless-engagements-requires-a-state-of-mind-of-higher-elevations/) [Ben Jr Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jr-grey/) > [The guru is not someone who is confined to the body. When there is selfless love for the guru, we will be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/the-guru-is-not-someone-who-is-confined-to-the-body-when-there-is/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [given the nature of the human couple, the love of a man and a woman is a priori inferior to that which can exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/given-the-nature-of-the-human-couple-the-love-of-a-man-and-a-woman-is/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Transformations happen when the center of your life is to be a giver.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/transformations-happen-when-the-center-of-your-life-is-to-be-a-giver/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [I walked away from this movie thinking how important it is to have a genuine selfless love for your children. You can really mess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-jackson/i-walked-away-from-this-movie-thinking-how-important-it-is-to-have-a/) [Jonathan Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-jackson/) > [A spontaneous act of generosity, performed with unselfish grace is an example of moral beauty, as are certain acts of courage; genuine modesty is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yi-fu-tuan/a-spontaneous-act-of-generosity-performed-with-unselfish-grace-is-an/) [Yi-Fu Tuan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yi-fu-tuan/) > [There is one and only one possible road to joy: selfless love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/there-is-one-and-only-one-possible-road-to-joy-selfless-love/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [My fast is, among other things, meant to qualify me for achieving that equal and selfless love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-fast-is-among-other-things-meant-to-qualify-me-for-achieving-that/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Love is selfish yet a selfless feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heenashree-khandelwal/love-is-selfish-yet-a-selfless-feeling/) [Heenashree Khandelwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heenashree-khandelwal/) ## More by Bob Goff > [I used to think I could shape the circumstances around me, but now I know Jesus uses circumstances to shape me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-i-could-shape-the-circumstances-around-me-but-now-i/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Next to grace, I bet God thinks making us need each other was one of His best ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/next-to-grace-i-bet-god-thinks-making-us-need-each-other-was-one-of/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [The battle for our hearts is fought on the pages of our calendar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/the-battle-for-our-hearts-is-fought-on-the-pages-of-our-calendar/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [If we pick recognition over influence we'll be known for all the wrong stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/if-we-pick-recognition-over-influence-we-ll-be-known-for-all-the/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“As I sit on my island, it becomes clears that we need to stop plotting the course and instead just land the plane on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/as-i-sit-on-my-island-it-becomes-clears-that-we-need-to-stop-plotting/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“You become like the people you hang around, and to a great degree, you end up going wherever they’re headed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/you-become-like-the-people-you-hang-around-and-to-a-great-degree-you/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [The way we love people we disagree with is the best evidence of what we really believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/the-way-we-love-people-we-disagree-with-is-the-best-evidence-of-what/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [No book is a chapter, no chapter tells the whole story, no mistake defines who we are. Hope makes our lives page turners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/no-book-is-a-chapter-no-chapter-tells-the-whole-story-no-mistake/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Every time we see people as ordinary, we turn the wine back into water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/every-time-we-see-people-as-ordinary-we-turn-the-wine-back-into-water/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Faith isn't figuring out what we're able to do, it's deciding what we're going to do - even when we think we can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/faith-isn-t-figuring-out-what-we-re-able-to-do-it-s-deciding-what-we/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [I'm trying to surround myself during my life with the eight people I'd surround my bed with on my death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-m-trying-to-surround-myself-during-my-life-with-the-eight-people-i/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Most of our decisions are driven by either love or fear. Figure out who's doing the talking, then decide what you'll do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/most-of-our-decisions-are-driven-by-either-love-or-fear-figure-out/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Jesus lets us be real with our life and our faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/jesus-lets-us-be-real-with-our-life-and-our-faith/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to think about, but now I know love is never satisfied just thinking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-greatest-thing-to-think-about-but/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Don't let uncertainty talk you into pursuing a backup plan instead of your purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/don-t-let-uncertainty-talk-you-into-pursuing-a-backup-plan-instead-of/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) [Explore all 277 Bob Goff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Selfless love is always costly; fear can't afford it, pride doesn't understand it and friends never forget it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bob Goff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can-t-afford-it-pride-doesn-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can-t-afford-it-pride-doesn-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/bob-goff-1182_fear_selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can_903003.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/bob-goff-1182_fear_selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can_903003.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/bob-goff-1182_fear_selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can_903003.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Selfless love is always costly; fear can't afford it, pride doesn't understand it and friends never forget it.” — Bob Goff", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bob Goff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Selfless love is always costly; fear...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can-t-afford-it-pride-doesn-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/selfless-love-is-always-costly-fear-can-t-afford-it-pride-doesn-t/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```