sacrifice.

"Night after night the Bishop and Dr. Bruce with their helpers went out and helped save men and women and children from the torture of physical privation. Vast quantities of food and clothing and large sums of money were donated by the churches, the charitable societies, the civic authorities and the benevolent associations.
But the personal touch of the Christian disciple was very hard to secure for personal work.
Where was the discipleship that was obeying the Master's command to go itself to the suffering and give itself with its gift in order to make the gift of value in time to come?
The Bishop found his heart sink within him as he faced this fact more than any other.

Men would give money who would not think of giving themselves.

And the money they gave did not represent any real sacrifice because they did not miss it. They gave what was the easiest to give, what hurt them the least.
Where did the sacrifice come in? Was this following Jesus? Was this going with Him all the way? He had been to members of his own aristocratic, splendidly wealthy congregations, and was appalled to find how few men and women of that luxurious class in the churches would really suffer any genuine inconvenience for the sake of suffering humanity.
Is charity the giving of worn-out garments? Is it a ten-dollar bill given to a paid visitor or secretary of some benevolent organization in the church? Shall the man never go and give his gift himself? Shall the woman never deny herself her reception or her party or her musicale, and go and actually touch, herself, the foul, sinful sore of diseased humanity as it festers in the great metropolis? Shall charity be conveniently and easily done through some organization? Is it possible to organize the affections so that love shall work disagreeable things by proxy?"
[Excerpt taken from Charles Sheldon, "In His Steps," pp. 211-212.]

For hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow His steps.
1 Peter 2:21