“Love…yourself”
The idea to love yourself is not just a concept fraught with conflicted emotions or fear of conceit. It is a command from God that takes self-denial, reflection and input from others to achieve. Here are a few scriptures to meditate over in our journey.
The idea to love yourself is not just a concept fraught with conflicted emotions or fear of conceit. It is a command from God that takes self-denial, reflection and input from others to achieve. Here are a few scriptures to meditate over in our journey.
Galatians 5:14 “I know God loves me, but I’m unworthy of His love!”
The above statement may sound spiritual, but it belies mistrust of God’s wisdom and rejection of His perfect view of you. Let’s see what the Bible has to say about how lovable you are…
Ephesians 1:4-5
You are “holy and blameless in His sight”; so precious that He chose to adopt you as His own child!
Ephesians 2:8-10
How presumptuous for you or me to question God’s wisdom in valuing us so highly. He is our Creator. While, “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…” so accept who you have become in Him.
Ephesians 5:1-2
Not only has the Father loved us as His dear children, but “Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us…”
Now consider the importance of the single command that sums up the entire law: “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Would the Counselor send us out all willy-nilly to “love our neighbors” in some vague manner that He left open to our own interpretation based on our individual perceptions of ourselves? Hardly!
These passages and others clearly spell out just how God wants us to love ourselves, because “imitators of God” will love ourselves as He loves us!
Finally, let’s get practical: Who would appeal more to a potential guest for worship service; a disciple who exudes confidence and self-esteem, or one full of shame and self-loathing? What about appealing to a potential date, prospective employer or customer?
Everyone is drawn to a winner; and a godly winner is one who embraces biblical self-love!