How does God judge the sense of love and surrender?

[Mr. Talin Rowe asked: Holy Lord Datta Swami, may we all shower You with sincere love. My question is about the root nature of sacrifice… is sacrifice defined by love, selflessness or is it defined by comparative loss?

You have given many examples of sacrifice and I can’t help but feel a sense of adoration for devotees who have in their hearts put God above all else. Many of these stories are linked with a degree of extreme adversity and of sacrifice in what would be considered very painful or difficult circumstances. I know that love is tested by fire, but is the love solely tested by extreme circumstances? In some cases it’s discussed as a percentage of total available wealth. In others it’s about the bond to the sacrifice given.

In the hearts of many others I would think there is a feeling of sincere love and devotion towards God. Yet is the intensity of the love based on the internal reflection of the soul towards its relationship with God or is it proven through the external Karma and sacrifice done by the gross body towards God? How does God judge the sense of love and surrender, especially when the way that devotees may demonstrate this may differ so greatly? Thank You and Warmest regards to You, Talin Rowe]

Swami replied:- Sacrifice is always measured with standard reference to the attachment to self and self-related worldly bonds. Sacrifice always has an object that is different from self. The self is also an object and the attachment to self and self-related bonds becomes the standard reference in the case of every human being. A difficult situation promotes the attachment to self and self-related bonds, which tries to decrease the attachment to external objects. The most important aspect in this topic is the practical side rather than mere theoretical side. The practical angle in this topic also increases the attachment to self and self-related bonds. All these are various parameters encouraging the attachment to self and self-related bonds. Love and selflessness come under the theoretical side that terribly influences the practical side. The comparative loss is directly a practical aspect. Everywhere theory and practice are interlinked with each other. This is the most important practical aspect of true love towards the object that is different from self.

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