--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can choose to use our lives for others…" description: "\"We can choose to use our lives for others to bring about a better and more just world for our children. People who make that choice will know hardship ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/cesar-chavez-2137_and-love_we-can-choose-to-use-our-lives-for-other_1965916.png" --- # We can choose to use our lives for others to bring about a… ![“We can choose to use our lives for others to bring about a better and more just world for our children. People who make that choice will know hardship and sacrifice. But if you give yourself totally to the non-violence struggle for peace and justice you also find that people give you their hearts…” quote by Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/cesar-chavez-2137_and-love_we-can-choose-to-use-our-lives-for-other_1965916.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/cesar-chavez-2137_and-love_we-can-choose-to-use-our-lives-for-other_1965916.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/cesar-chavez-2137_and-love_we-can-choose-to-use-our-lives-for-other_1965916.png) > “We can choose to use our lives for others to bring about a better and more just world for our children. People who make that choice will know hardship and sacrifice. But if you give yourself totally to the non-violence struggle for peace and justice you also find that people give you their hearts and you will never go hungry and never be alone. And in giving of yourself you will discover a whole new life full of meaning and love.” [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing self‑sacrifice for non‑violent peace brings community love, sustenance, and purpose. **In simple terms:** Self‑sacrifice yields love and purpose. Key Takeaway Commit to selfless service. Themes service peace justice community Mood inspirational hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - activism - community building - personal growth Key Concepts non‑violence sacrifice meaning Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance self‑care with selfless work? - What motivates you to serve others? A Different Perspective Self‑sacrifice can lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hardship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardship/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-meaning/) [Live for others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-for-others/) [New life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-life/) [Non violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-violence/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Peace and justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace-and-justice/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Violence ends up defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/violence-ends-up-defeating-itself-it-creates-bitterness-in-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Life in this world is short. Let us make use of our lives in the pursuit of happiness and not trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tunku-abdul-rahman/life-in-this-world-is-short-let-us-make-use-of-our-lives-in-the/) [Tunku Abdul Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tunku-abdul-rahman/) > [We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things. That is what we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/we-must-use-our-lives-to-make-the-world-a-better-place-to-live-not/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [“God hasn’t just sent you to do his work in the lives of your children; he will use the lives of your children to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/god-hasn-t-just-sent-you-to-do-his-work-in-the-lives-of-your-children/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Do you want your name to live forever? You fool! Forget your name, try to save yourself! What use there is for you, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-you-want-your-name-to-live-forever-you-fool-forget-your-name-try/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Each of us should make the most of our lives. We should give life our best-let us use our lives more wisely to chase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/each-of-us-should-make-the-most-of-our-lives-we-should-give-life-our/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“I’m sitting here on the Kaye Gibbons Show, and all I can think is that the whole country is sick. Sick with the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-demetrios/i-m-sitting-here-on-the-kaye-gibbons-show-and-all-i-can-think-is-that/) [Heather Demetrios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-demetrios/) > [If you give yourself totally to the nonviolence struggle for peace and justice you also find that people give you their hearts and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/if-you-give-yourself-totally-to-the-nonviolence-struggle-for-peace/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Non-violence is a very powerful weapon. Most people don't understand the power of non-violence and tend to be amazed by the whole idea. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/non-violence-is-a-very-powerful-weapon-most-people-don-t-understand/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Non-violence is not inaction. It is not discussion. It is not for the timid or weak... Non-violence is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/non-violence-is-not-inaction-it-is-not-discussion-it-is-not-for-the/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [In some cases non-violence requires more militancy than violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/in-some-cases-non-violence-requires-more-militancy-than-violence/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [There's no reason to be non-violent. There's no challenge unless you are living for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/there-s-no-reason-to-be-non-violent-there-s-no-challenge-unless-you/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [When workers fall back on violence, they are lost. Oh, they might win some of their demands and might end a strike a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/when-workers-fall-back-on-violence-they-are-lost-oh-they-might-win/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [...people think non-violence is really weak and non-militant. These are misconceptions that people have because they don't understand what non-violence means. Non-violence takes more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/people-think-non-violence-is-really-weak-and-non-militant-these-are/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Non-violence has suffered its biggest defeat in the hands of people who most want to talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/non-violence-has-suffered-its-biggest-defeat-in-the-hands-of-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) ## More by Cesar Chavez > [We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-need-in-a-special-way-to-work-twice-as-hard-to-help-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [If you win non-violently, then you have a double victory, you have not only won your fight, but you remain free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/if-you-win-non-violently-then-you-have-a-double-victory-you-have-not/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit our lives are all that really belong to us. So it is how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/when-we-are-really-honest-with-ourselves-we-must-admit-our-lives-are/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [We know we cannot be kind to animals until we stop exploiting them -- exploiting animals in the name of science, exploiting animals in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-know-we-cannot-be-kind-to-animals-until-we-stop-exploiting-them/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Non-violence has suffered its biggest defeat in the hands of people who most want to talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/non-violence-has-suffered-its-biggest-defeat-in-the-hands-of-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [it is clearly evident that our path travels through a valley of teas well known to all farm workers, because in all valleys the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/it-is-clearly-evident-that-our-path-travels-through-a-valley-of-teas/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [The people who give you their food give you their heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/the-people-who-give-you-their-food-give-you-their-heart/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [The name of the game is to talk to people. If you don't talk to people, you can't get started...You knock on twenty doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/the-name-of-the-game-is-to-talk-to-people-if-you-don-t-talk-to-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [...people think non-violence is really weak and non-militant. These are misconceptions that people have because they don't understand what non-violence means. Non-violence takes more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/people-think-non-violence-is-really-weak-and-non-militant-these-are/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [We shall strike. We shall organize boycotts. We shall demonstrate and have political campaigns. We shall pursue the revolution we have proposed. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-shall-strike-we-shall-organize-boycotts-we-shall-demonstrate-and/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [There are vivid memories from my childhood - what we had to go through because of low wages and the conditions, basically because there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/there-are-vivid-memories-from-my-childhood-what-we-had-to-go-through/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Self dedication is a spiritual experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/self-dedication-is-a-spiritual-experience/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [I am convinced that the truest act of courage, the strongest act of manliness, is to sacrifice ourselves for others in a totally nonviolent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/i-am-convinced-that-the-truest-act-of-courage-the-strongest-act-of/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/you-cannot-oppress-the-people-who-are-not-afraid-anymore/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [When workers fall back on violence, they are lost. Oh, they might win some of their demands and might end a strike a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/when-workers-fall-back-on-violence-they-are-lost-oh-they-might-win/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) [Explore all 183 Cesar Chavez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) ## More And love quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. 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