labor of love

noun

1. work done for the sake of one's own enjoyment or of benefit to others rather than for material rewards.

   He coached amateur baseball teams as a labor of love.

Word History and Origins

Origin of labor of love¹

First recorded in 1665–75

Idioms and Phrases

Work done for one's satisfaction rather than monetary reward. For example, The research took three years but it was a labor of love. This expression appears twice in the New Testament (Hebrews 6:10, Thessalonians 1:3), referring to those who do God's work as a labor of love. [c. 1600]

Example Sentences

“It’s a labor of love. We become our own safety net, and we make it work because we need it.”

From Los Angeles Times

Morello's post said putting the event together was "over a year of hard work but heavy metal was the music that made me love music and it was a labor of love."

From BBC

Taking place at Ojai’s Chaparral Auditorium over two weekends in May, the project is a labor of love for everyone involved, most of whom are donating their time and talents.

From Los Angeles Times

Making brisket is a labor of love but the results make it all worth it.

From Salon

“It's a labor of love that we do what we do, we would just like to be paid what we're worth.”

From Salon