It becomes clearer day by day that human loves themselves in selfish way, not in the way that God wants them to appreciate themselves as God’s creation. People want everything for themselves, all for me, my time, my money, my business and couldn’t care less about other people. Jesus came to this earth and demonstrated love for others and sacrificed Himself for all human.
He wants us to love ourselves in a way that we appreciate us as God’s creation, we love ourselves in knowing that God loves us with all that He has and even gave His Son for us. He wants us to appreciate our lives and live holy, live righteous, and take care of our body as it is the holy temple of God. He wants us to love ourselves as a person who has Jesus in his heart, who listen to Him and obey Him. But, He doesn’t want us to become selfish and it is all about me, myself and I. God cannot work with a person like that. Someone who loves himself selfishly will never have a place for God. He would put himself as the center of his universe. The same goes for someone who cannot accept himself as who he is, he will never be able to accept God’s unmerited grace, love and favors.
If we don’t like ourselves, then we will have difficulty to love others. We are not talking about marriage only, but in all kinds of relationship; at work, friendship, family, at church. We will always be suspicious when others truly being kind to us, because we cannot accept who we are and think that we don’t deserve other people kindness and love. We think lowly about ourselves and deserve all the bad things that happen to us.
While the ones who love themselves will be arrogant and think that everyone supposed to love them and never think about loving others because it is always about themselves. God commands us to love others like ourselves. How can we love others well when we don’t even love ourselves? The way we love ourselves that will be as much as we can give others. Jesus died giving His all for others. He knows Himself as the Son of God and He is able to give His full love for us because He knows He is fully loved by the Father and He embrace that love in Him and He love the Father with all that He has.
That’s the kind of love that we should love ourselves with. We embrace the Father’s love for us and know well that He truly love us. After that we can love others fully because the Father’s love is overflowing within us. Not a selfish kind of love where it is all about us. Not a half kind of love the way we look at ourselves and think that we are worth nothing.
Mark 12:31
Daily prayer
Father, I embrace Your love for me and I love the way You created me. Pour out Your love in me so that I can love others like I love myself. Make me understand that Your love for me is unconditional and I want to show that love to others so that they may come to You and believe in You. In the Name of Jesus I pray.
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