The secular world, liberal Christianity and modern psychology want us to believe that our primary problem in life is not loving ourselves enough. It is said we need more self-esteem so that we can appreciate our value. This will supposedly help us be all that we can be. Loving ourselves is supposed to be the key to realizing our full potential. The word of God does not support this idea. The Bible throws lovers of self in with a lot of bad company:
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. (2Ti 3:1-5) NASB
Biblical love is a sacrificial love that puts the interests of others before our own interests. Biblical love is characterized by unconditional forgiveness and accepting others as they are. Biblical love is not the kind of love that human beings have for themselves.
The way people love themselves is a selfish form of love. Our interests come before the interests of others. Conversation must be centered on us for it to be enjoyable. My problems are more important than your problems. Our thinking is focused on what we want and need and we think about it constantly. We are riddled with fear and worry about not getting what we think we have to have. It is interesting that Jesus gave Christians a command to love their neighbors as they love themselves. He was saying there was some way that people always love themselves and it is common to every person. I believe He was acknowledging a powerful truth about the unconditional way people put themselves first in everything. He was in effect saying, “Your entire focus is on you and what you need. You always want the best for you with no bad results. That’s the way I want you to love your neighbors. Get your mind off of you so there is some room to love others!” There is no question that we are unconditional lovers of ourselves and the selfishness of that self-love prohibits true Biblical love for others.
No comments yet.