--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should love others truly, for their…" description: "\"We should love others truly, for their own sakes rather than our own.\" — Thomas Aquinas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/thomas-aquinas-837_love_we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-ow_2179935.jpg" --- # We should love others truly, for their own sakes rather… ![“We should love others truly, for their own sakes rather than our own.” quote by Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/thomas-aquinas-837_love_we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-ow_2179935.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/thomas-aquinas-837_love_we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-ow_2179935.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/thomas-aquinas-837_love_we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-ow_2179935.jpg) > “We should love others truly, for their own sakes rather than our own.” [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love should be directed toward others for their own sake, not for personal benefit, fostering genuine compassion. **In simple terms:** Love others for their own good, not selfish reasons. Key Takeaway Practice selfless compassion. Themes ethics compassion altruism relationships Mood thoughtful empathetic Type ethical spiritual When to use this quote - volunteering - conflict resolution - friendship building - caregiving - community outreach Key Concepts theology moral philosophy human dignity Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure your actions stem from genuine concern? - What barriers prevent you from loving selflessly? A Different Perspective Selfish motives can masquerade as love, undermining authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-others/) [Love Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-truly/) [Sake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sake/) [Sakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sakes-4704089/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly/) [Truly Sakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly-sakes-4704088/) ## Related quotes > [Life cannot even be completed without saying, LOVE truly makes me cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-m/life-cannot-even-be-completed-without-saying-love-truly-makes-me-cry/) [Jordan M](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-m/) > [Love truly does have the power to transcend evil. It can get us through the most unspeakable of events and give us the strength…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-benaron/love-truly-does-have-the-power-to-transcend-evil-it-can-get-us/) [Naomi Benaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-benaron/) > [Without love we are not truly living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/without-love-we-are-not-truly-living/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) > [Deep down everyone wants true love because that is truly the closest thing we have to magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/deep-down-everyone-wants-true-love-because-that-is-truly-the-closest/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [“When you love someone's everything with your everything then you truly are in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/when-you-love-someone-s-everything-with-your-everything-then-you/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [Love is good to those who know how to love truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-khashane-msendevu/love-is-good-to-those-who-know-how-to-love-truly/) [Wilson Khashane Msendevu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-khashane-msendevu/) > [The highest perfection of human life consists in the mind of man being detached from care, for the sake of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/the-highest-perfection-of-human-life-consists-in-the-mind-of-man/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [If people love you truly, they d'nt say I love you,instead they make it feel you..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ionaire-rebarra/if-people-love-you-truly-they-d-nt-say-i-love-you-instead-they-make/) [Bill Ionaire Rebarra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ionaire-rebarra/) > [Love is truly everything. It has no bounds, no rules, no structure. It gives no answers, tells no questions, gives us joy, and causes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-truly-everything-it-has-no-bounds-no-rules-no-structure-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone can fall in love .. But the question is .. Who can love truly ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma/everyone-can-fall-in-love-but-the-question-is-who-can-love-truly/) [Emma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma/) > [My Love is everlasting, it will never grow cold of you. if only you would notice me that I'm here for you every step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-howard-altman/my-love-is-everlasting-it-will-never-grow-cold-of-you-if-only-you/) [Joshua Howard Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-howard-altman/) > [When you love yourself, truly love yourself, you can bring unlimited miracles into your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-love-yourself-truly-love-yourself-you-can-bring-unlimited/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Know that love is truly timeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-m-ricksen/know-that-love-is-truly-timeless/) [Mary M. Ricksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-m-ricksen/) > [Women who are stunningly beautiful are women who... love truly and honestly without demanding that they be loved in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stasi-eldredge/women-who-are-stunningly-beautiful-are-women-who-love-truly-and/) [Stasi Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stasi-eldredge/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) ## More by Thomas Aquinas > [Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/grace-does-not-destroy-nature-it-perfects-it/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Justice is in subjects as well as in rulers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/justice-is-in-subjects-as-well-as-in-rulers/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“A capacity as such is directed to an act. Wherefore we seek to know the nature of a capacity from the act to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/a-capacity-as-such-is-directed-to-an-act-wherefore-we-seek-to-know/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“Yet no-one can say that God has not a Word, for it would follow that God is most foolish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/yet-no-one-can-say-that-god-has-not-a-word-for-it-would-follow-that/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Unbelief is the greatest of sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/unbelief-is-the-greatest-of-sins/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [If forgers and malefactors are put to death by the secular power, there is much more reason for excommunicating and even putting to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/if-forgers-and-malefactors-are-put-to-death-by-the-secular-power/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [When fear is excessive it can make many a man despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/when-fear-is-excessive-it-can-make-many-a-man-despair/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Now, nothing can be brought from potentiality to actual existence except through something actually existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/now-nothing-can-be-brought-from-potentiality-to-actual-existence/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [To convert somebody go and take them by the hand and guide them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/to-convert-somebody-go-and-take-them-by-the-hand-and-guide-them/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [ By the divine providence \[animals\] are intended for man's use... Hence it is not wrong for man to make use of them, either by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/by-the-divine-providence-animals-are-intended-for-man-s-use-hence-it/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“What causes love, since it is a passion, is its object; and since it is a sort of affinity or agreement with the object,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/what-causes-love-since-it-is-a-passion-is-its-object-and-since-it-is/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [The image of God always abides in the soul, whether this image be obsolete and clouded over as to amount to almost nothing; or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/the-image-of-god-always-abides-in-the-soul-whether-this-image-be/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Charity, by which God and neighbor are loved, is the most perfect friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/charity-by-which-god-and-neighbor-are-loved-is-the-most-perfect/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Beauty adds to goodness a relation to the cognitive faculty: so that "good" means that which simply pleases the appetite; while the "beautiful" is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/beauty-adds-to-goodness-a-relation-to-the-cognitive-faculty-so-that/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“God is not, like creatures, made up of parts. God is spirit, without bodily dimensions. Firstly, no body can cause change without itself being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/god-is-not-like-creatures-made-up-of-parts-god-is-spirit-without/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) [Explore all 357 Thomas Aquinas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## More Love quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“To be loved by a man, truly loved, made a woman feel as if she could burst. Of course, Lia was strong and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-anne/to-be-loved-by-a-man-truly-loved-made-a-woman-feel-as-if-she-could/) [Melody Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-anne/) > [So when you take those tears, don't look to see I'm alright. …\*Seal - Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/so-when-you-take-those-tears-don-t-look-to-see-i-m-alright-seal-violet/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“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/) > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) [Browse all 233,035 Love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We should love others truly, for their own sakes rather than our own.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Aquinas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-own-sakes-rather-than-our-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-own-sakes-rather-than-our-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/thomas-aquinas-837_love_we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-ow_2179935.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/thomas-aquinas-837_love_we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-ow_2179935.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/thomas-aquinas-837_love_we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-ow_2179935.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We should love others truly, for their own sakes rather than our own.” — Thomas Aquinas", "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": "Thomas Aquinas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We should love others truly, for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-own-sakes-rather-than-our-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/we-should-love-others-truly-for-their-own-sakes-rather-than-our-own/#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 } } ] } ```