--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you feel great delight in someone…" description: "\"“When you feel great delight in someone, meeting their needs and getting their gratitude and affection in return is extremely rewarding to your ego. At..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/timothy-keller-240_desire_when-you-feel-great-delight-in-someone-m_543022.png" --- # When you feel great delight in someone, meeting their… ![“When you feel great delight in someone, meeting their needs and getting their gratitude and affection in return is extremely rewarding to your ego. At those times you may be acting more out of the desire to get that love and satisfaction yourself, rather than out of a desire to seek the good of…” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/timothy-keller-240_desire_when-you-feel-great-delight-in-someone-m_543022.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/timothy-keller-240_desire_when-you-feel-great-delight-in-someone-m_543022.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/timothy-keller-240_desire_when-you-feel-great-delight-in-someone-m_543022.png) > ““When you feel great delight in someone, meeting their needs and getting their gratitude and affection in return is extremely rewarding to your ego. At those times you may be acting more out of the desire to get that love and satisfaction yourself, rather than out of a desire to seek the good of the other person. Kierkegaard observed, you may not be loving that person so much as loving yourself. ”” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When delight in helping others is tied to personal ego, love may become self‑serving rather than altruistic. **In simple terms:** Love can become self‑focused. Key Takeaway Check motives behind caring actions. Themes love ego motivation self‑awareness Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - volunteering - relationships - leadership - counseling Key Concepts Kierkegaard psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - Are you helping for gratitude or genuine care? - How can you shift focus outward? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can undermine genuine compassion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Gratitude Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude-affection-3330007/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Loving person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-person/) [Loving yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-yourself/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Person Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-loving-643857/) [Rewarding Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewarding-ego-4536403/) [Satisfaction Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfaction-desire-3132251/) ## Related quotes > [When you can't see any reason for loving a person, you must be loving him as a symbol of something, don't you think so?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-tennant/when-you-can-t-see-any-reason-for-loving-a-person-you-must-be-loving/) [Kylie Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-tennant/) > [True love isn't loving that person for what they can do, it's loving that person for what they can't do because you know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-adams/true-love-isn-t-loving-that-person-for-what-they-can-do-it-s-loving/) [DJ Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-adams/) > [Loving a person is loving everything but the person. Being in love with that person is loving everything and that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-richards/loving-a-person-is-loving-everything-but-the-person-being-in-love/) [Denise Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-richards/) > [Court TV will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will always look back at my time there with great gratitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-grace/court-tv-will-always-hold-a-special-place-in-my-heart-and-i-will/) [Nancy Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-grace/) > [If you love yourself, you love everybody else as you do yourself. As long as you love another person less than yourself, you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/if-you-love-yourself-you-love-everybody-else-as-you-do-yourself-as-2/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“Actively, we are motivated by the never-ending desires of the self. We are compelled to pursue whatever the self imagines will satisfy its desires.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharma-publishing/actively-we-are-motivated-by-the-never-ending-desires-of-the-self-we/) [Dharma Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharma-publishing/) > [From the satisfaction of desire there may arise, accompanying joy and as it were sheltering behind it, something not unlike despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/from-the-satisfaction-of-desire-there-may-arise-accompanying-joy-and/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“So, what is my concept of a perfect life? Doing something you love, being in the company of someone you love, while all material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kozak/so-what-is-my-concept-of-a-perfect-life-doing-something-you-love/) [Rob Kozak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kozak/) > [Having a persistent nature is part of being human. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to speak of knowing another person, or loving them, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/having-a-persistent-nature-is-part-of-being-human-otherwise-we-wouldn/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Don't get lost in love, or you'll lose love itself. Open your eyes and try to know actually the person you are loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/don-t-get-lost-in-love-or-you-ll-lose-love-itself-open-your-eyes-and/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [“This is what we love in friends. We love to the point that human conscience feels guilty if we do not love the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine-of-hippo/this-is-what-we-love-in-friends-we-love-to-the-point-that-human/) [Saint Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine-of-hippo/) > [Loving someone doesn't mean the person must be yours, loving someone mean if the person you love is happy, you will be happy too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/loving-someone-doesn-t-mean-the-person-must-be-yours-loving-someone/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The virture of true love is not finding the perfect person, but loving the inperfect person, perfectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latest/the-virture-of-true-love-is-not-finding-the-perfect-person-but-loving/) [Latest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latest/) > [I long for that day of which I shall get to see, meet and be with you in person. Loving you from afar aint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine/i-long-for-that-day-of-which-i-shall-get-to-see-meet-and-be-with-you/) [Josephine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine/) > [Love is not love unless the person you are loving loves you back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamsta-e-ngugz/love-is-not-love-unless-the-person-you-are-loving-loves-you-back/) [Jamsta E Ngugz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamsta-e-ngugz/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When you feel great delight in someone, meeting their needs and getting their gratitude and affection in return is extremely rewarding to your ego. At those times you may be acting more out of the desire to get that love and satisfaction yourself, rather than out of a desire to seek the good of the other person. 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