HomeBeliefs About LivingChristian Behavior - Fundamental Belief 22Do we need to Love Ourselves Before we can Love Others?    

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Do we need to Love Ourselves Before we can Love Others? — 44 Comments

  1. When Jesus said love your neighbour He was quoting from the instructions via Moses but what was the context? It was about how to treat your neighbour not about loving yourself
    Lev 19:9-18
    Love Your Neighbor
    When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.
    13‘You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him.
    15‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. 16You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.
    17‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbour, and not bear sin because of him. 18You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

    Paul also quotes that verse and this is the context:
    Rom 13:-10
    Love Your Neighbor
    8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

    And to top it all Jesus said this is what He meant when He said love your neighbour:
    John 15:12-13
    This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

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    • Thanks, Shirley. Yes, John 15:12-13 really sheds light on the subject. It is a commandment that could not be given until Jesus came and demonstrated the self-giving nature of God.

      (3)
  2. I have always rejected the "you must love yourself first" thesis. The word "first is not in the Scriptures" in relation to this point. I have always interpreted Jesus's teaching to mean that the standard for loving others is " as if it were yourself" The so-styled "Golden Rule" as enunciated by Jesus brings out this point. That is "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

    (9)
  3. Inge,

    Thank you, thank you thank you! This is so spot on. You articulated this much better than I could have. "love yourself" is motive of Satan to steer away from God. A friend reminded me how often he hears me admonish him to "study to show himself approved unto GOD, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." This is a prime example where many have failed to do just that, as such have failed in understanding the true meaning of Jesus command to love our neighbor as ourselves.

    (8)
    • Yes, Myron, your comment

      "love yourself" is motive of Satan to steer away from God.

      is right on. "Love yourself" is the law of Satan's kingdom - as can be seen in most public media. At its base, sin is selfishness, which is putting self first. By contrast, the Law of God's Kingdom is the Law of self-renouncing love. It is the law of life for earth and heaven. (See Desire of Ages, p. 19)

      (4)
  4. Hello Inge,

    It is no accident that when Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment in the Law (which is the Law of Love), he stated “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” As you point out, it is where the mind is focused that determines whether or not its love is true. It is only as we focus on the source of Love, that we will have that Love which has value to give to others through our words and actions, that is, loving our “neighbour” as ourselves. This is functional love.

    The focus on self short circuits “love” in destructive ways that may not be immediately obvious. The focus on self love leads to dysfunctional relationships.

    Richard

    (8)
  5. I just want to insert a little caution that loving others as Jesus loves them does not necessarily result in pleasing others. If you'll think of the life of Jesus, what He did and said many times displeased others - especially powerful "others."

    In family relationships there are often personality imbalances with one very dominating or powerful person and the other very submissive or weaker. The submissive person is not necessarily more loving, but may be a "pleaser" to maintain the affection of the other person. When this continues for a long time, the "pleaser" becomes a shadow of the dominating person. This is not pleasing to God. He wants us to retain our God-given individuality. It may be difficult to say "No" to a dominating person, but if we recognize that we belong first to Christ, who gave His life for us, we can pray that He will give us the wisdom to set appropriate boundaries.

    The caution for naturally strong personalities is to conscientiously protect the individuality of the more submissive personality. Christ loved us enough to give His life for us. In like manner, strong Christians need to be loving enough to support the happiness of weaker persons and help them to bloom in their God-given individuality.

    (10)
    • Well Inge, This is just my second day. When I see your name I read. I,all most always give in to what others want. Often taking the assignment that no one else wants. Does that designate me as weak?

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      • Welcome to our blog, Bill! (Sorry to be late in replying. I was without internet a bit and am behind on things.)

        "Often taking the assignments that no one else wants" sounds a lot like what Jesus did in the Upper Room before the Last Supper. It was the custom to have a servant on hand to wash the dirty feet of those entering the room. But there was no servant. So the disciples looked at each other to see who would do this "servant" job. Everyone hoped someone else would do it, but no one wanted to do it. Jesus waited till after the supper to do the job that on one else wanted. You can read the story in John 13:1-17.

        As for almost always giving in to what others want - that depends.

        Do you give in to others even when you feel what they want is wrong? If so, please ask the Lord for strength to do only what is right.

        How do you feel when you give in to what others want? If you are perfectly happy to let others lead, it's not a problem. There can be no leaders without followers. We each have our part to act in God's church. You can read what Paul has to say about the various gifts in the church 1 Cor. 12:4-31

        (2)
  6. Thank you so much for this insightful piece. To my secular friends and colleagues I often say, “Happiness comes from doing what’s right,” which is the same concept you share here. This past year we lost our 31 year-old son to Leukemia and septic shock very suddenly. Due to Covid we could not be with him until he was on life support. Although I proactively put myself through a targeted grief recovery program that included listening to his voice mails, re-reading his texts and studying his medical records, I quickly learned the concept of reaching out to help others was the best recovery plan. God certainly opens the doors to minister to so many hurting people all around us if we are open to the opportunity, generating the “feel good” endocrine reaction that helps us to feel good about ourselves and claim Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for God and not evil, to give you hope and an expected end.” Praying for you and everyone on this thread!

    (8)
    • Dear Jan, thank you so much for sharing! Losing your son suddenly must certainly have been a test of your faith and coping skills. Thank you for your prayers!
      I do hope we will hear/read more from you.

      (2)
  7. Thank you, Inge, for tackling and ably refuting a teaching that has long bothered me. As I think about the idea that we must first love ourselves, in order to love others as Christ would have us do, I see that this track of error lies close to the track of truth. I firmly believe that we cannot adequately love others until we know and believe the love that God has for us. I agree that a self-forgetful effort to bless others is key to our own spiritual health. In the end, however, we must receive in order to give. Only by love is love awakened.

    (7)
  8. Spot on Inge.

    What you unpack regarding the true basis and nature of our worth under God reflects the inherent design of life that is also a reflection of the nature and character of God: it is by giving to others that our needs are met. That is why Jesus truthfully said, "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

    As you have previously mentioned elsewhere, Ellen White unpacks this foundational dynamic (living to give beneficially to others) that is inherent to "the Law of Life for earth and heaven" (p 19.2) in the first chapter of Desire of Ages. She refers to this dynamic as "the circuit of beneficence" (p 21.2).

    (5)
    • Phil would you say that the circuit you are talking about is what allows the rich current of Christ love to flow through our soul? Christ Object Lessions page 159.

      (3)
      • Yes, John. You could say that. The 'current of beneficence' (Christ's love) flows from God, to us in order to flow through us to others and so on and so on. And, in response, appreciation and adoration flows back to God as a 'by-product'. And God's 'heart' rejoices in the benefits that we experience from this which then leads to further impartation to us. A never-ending, perpetual (and therefore eternal) dynamic where all parties are mutually benefited as a consequence of focussing on others instead of self. An amazing reality.

        (6)
        • Phil - Yes, 'an amazing reality' indeed! To be able to look at the process of our Salvation with this understanding in mind will help the awakened conscience include also the 'little' things one encounters in life with greater care and consideration.
          Thank you for putting these amazing insights into words to be readily understood!

          (4)
  9. I have found that focus on others and their needs, 'self love', selfishness, disappears. Genuine focus on others is where rest in Christ is found. Yes that focus is attained by being born again. Focusing on others(good works if you prefer) is the evidence of salvation. not what saves us, it is Christ death for us on the Cross that saves us.

    For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
    Ephesians 2:10

    Yes if we ask for forgiveness, repent, and hold on to Christ, what He has planed beforehand for us will come to fruition.

    (5)
    • Thanks, John. I agree. The focus of my post was the teaching that we need to love ourselves first before we can love others. Some thought my post already too long, without also writing about how we are saved. 😉 However, the teaching that we must love ourselves first can get in the way of salvation by contradicting the teachings of Jesus.

      While I believe that good works are the fruit of salvation, I also believe even atheists can "do good works" and experience the temporal rewards. That's because our Creator built a reward system right into our bodies.

      I'm also thinking of James 1:17, which seems to suggest that all good things come from our Father in heaven, and I would think that would include the good impulses that result in good works. Is it possible that those who consistently yield to those good impulses are, in fact yielding to the Holy Spirit and are thus in harmony with heaven and its laws, no matter what their profession or belief system?

      (6)
  10. I myself have often spoken against this "love yourself" first idea and am extremely glad to hear others doing the same thing. It is really contrary to the love of God that "seeks not its own."
    It is so clear that what Jesus really meant is encapsulated in what we know as the Golden Rule since in Matthew 22:40 Jesus says "on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." And then in Matthew 7:12 He said "This is the Law and the Prophets." Those are the only two times Jesus said that.

    (6)
  11. I want to use an example that I heard several times that fit perfectly into this.
    Some people are married and cant conceive for years. They went to several doctors, did several tests and the doctors cant find any reason for them not to conceive. As a result the doctor or others encouraged them to do an adoption. So they stop trying to conceive and go the adoption way. Within the first 6 months of having an adopted baby the women find herself pregnant. What took place in these situations? Was it miracles? Many do not realized the moment we take ourselves off us great things can be accomplish.
    The mind is no more on me, me, me trying to conceive but the love for another human being.
    Love the Lord with every facility and love others as ourselves.
    Loving others takes the wisdom from above because many will take advantage of us, use us, abuse us, manipulate us, then throw us to the curb.
    How does loving others like ourselves looks?
    Practical examples

    (3)
  12. This is very good:
    "Jesus lived a life of self-forgetfulness. He didn’t think about Himself at all."

    John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

    Your footnotes are as good as the article.

    (6)
    • Thanks, Peter. Yes, John 3:30 is a good motto for the Christian life. There is so much in John the Baptist's life to meditate. He saw Jesus increasing in popularity when he said these words. And he rejoiced. But he had to walk a dark valley even to his death, without Christ intervening or even contacting him. Though tempted to doubt and be discouraged, he clung to faith. Thank you for reminding us.

      Thinking of John the Baptist reminds me also that extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary faith. And faith is also a gift of God. He gives us what we need when we need it. Looking at how fast things are changing in the world today, it looks to me like we are on the final stretch. Many of us may yet need extraordinary faith, and we can be assured that God will supply it just as he did to John the Baptist. It's not something we can draw out of ourselves. We need to cultivate the habit now of looking to Christ to supply all our needs. I thought maybe I was going off-topic, but maybe not ...

      (4)
  13. I'd say Jesus thought about Himself all the time! Because He did it all from LOVE! The Bible itself says "He first loved us..."
    The difference between Him and us is the love He's got for His creatures! He is our true Father! And He is moved by His marvelous LOVE He just is.

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    • I don't think Jesus had time to think about himself. 😉 He was too busy ministering to people around Him after spending time with the Father in the morning to get His strength and His agenda for the day. He was and is God in human flesh and thus He lived out the Law of self-sacrificing love of God, which is also the law of life for the universe. Focusing on self just isn't part of it. But it seems the devil tempted Jesus to think of Himself when He was in the wilderness.
      He tempted Him to think of His extreme hunger and to satisfy it by working a miracle.
      Satan tempted Christ to think of Himself and draw attention to His ministry by throwing Himself off the temple roof and having angels miraculously rescue Him - to gain attention for His message.
      He tempted Him to think of Himself by availing Himself of the ultimate shortcut to fulfill His mission - to avoid the cross, the pain and the shame, but gain His object of reclaiming the world from Satan by the simple act of worshiping this angel of light. Satan said he would he simply *give* Him the world, rather than Jesus having to die to reclaim it!

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      • Yes I agree with u. But tell me something, when you truly love someone, the feeling comes from you or from the loved one?

        (2)
        • That's an interesting question ... First of all, though, I'd say that love is a principle of action, not a feeling. Yes, when we use our minds to exercise the love principle, feelings will follow. But too often feelings are mistaken for love, but feelings are fleeting and fickle. By contrast genuine love is dependable and lasting.

          The way I see it, love focuses on the *other* person, both in principle and feeling. So love does not focus on self.

          (5)
          • Ok. But what do you think about loving someone who does not love you? Does Jesus encourage you to love this person anyway?

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            • Jesus said:
              Mat 5:44 MKJV  But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you,

              (3)
      • When you say "think about himself", what do you mean? Why would Jesus rise "a great while before dawn" if not feeling HIS need for faith, wisdom, and ability to minister to those He came to save?

        I understand your meaning Inge, but we cannot forget ourselves while thinking of others. Also, Jesus had given up His Godly power and lived as you and I must live in this life, and needed to connect Himself to His Father's power and grace without ceasing. Can anyone feed others the Bread of Life if they have not first fed upon it themselves?

        Our lesson this week mentions Elijah, who after being so busy working to save others, forgot his faith, and the Lord who had faithfully preserved him from his enemies. The branch had become severed from the Vine. This is the first work, as fallen beings who are too weak to stand alone. Would we be a Light in the world? We need the Oil in OUR lamp first. In the 3 parables of Matthew 25, we need the experience of the first two before we can have the experience in the 3rd.

        (4)
        • Robert, getting up a great while before dawn to speak to the Father is not "thinking about self." Feeling His need, He looked to the Father for strength and the work assignment for the day.

          In all His life, Christ modeled self-forgetful love, and He is ever so willing to enable us to exercise that same kind of love.

          I'm writing this for myself as well as others: We should be self-forgetful, ever looking for opportunities, even in little things, to show gratitude for the favors we have received of others. We should watch for opportunities to cheer others and lighten and relieve their sorrows and burdens by acts of kindness and deeds of love. I observe that these thoughtful courtesies help make up the sum of life’s happiness. And the neglect of these little things makes up the sum of life’s bitterness and sorrow.

          Elijah's problem was not that he forgot self, but that he tried to look out for self to save himself, rather than to trust God. But the Lord was compassionate, recognizing Elijah's human weakness, and He sent an angel to minister to Him. What a wonderful example of or Lord's compassion!

          (5)
        • Robert, I think you mean that we must not forget to care for the physical, mental and emotional needs of our body temple. I agree. All depends on the motive. If we look after ourselves so we can server God and others better, that's in harmony with the self-forgetful love principle. 😊

          (7)
  14. To a large degree I agree with you but we need to bring balance to that position. If self worth means being self conscious and overestimating who we are compared to others, then it's wrong. But if self worth means coming from a place of receiving God's love for me so as to pass it on to others, then maybe we need to pose and study the mechanics of that.

    I think Christianity is practical as well as spiritual. The practical side of me says unless I understand my own value in God's eyes, I will likely squander my own life away and/or never realize the value of others. I think your article is focusing on the outward manifestation or outward actions of love.

    I will talk from my personal experience. I grew up in an abusive home with a stepmom who at every opportunity she had, told me how worthless and ugly I was. I served in the home. Cleaned, cooked, did laundry to a point where I hated serving because it was used as a way of degrading me further. I was a brain smart youth and I told myself I was going to work hard at school and set myself free from her. I did that very well. Succeeded in my career and yet my life was still a mess. I had a high standard of living materially, but morally and emotionally, I accepted anything and let people walk all over me because of the worthless estimate I had of myself. That was all I knew of who I was. Interestingly, my professional work is in serving others,. I work with rural communities, providing water and helping the marginalized to find livelihood means. I got all the fulfillment from that work but I still felt like a piece of paper blowing in the wind about myself. My closest and personal relationships suffered the most from that.

    It was not until I cried out to God for help. Without ever going for counseling, God spoke to me through my own Bible reading and words spoken by both Christian and secular 'teachers' I met to restore for me the value that I had in God's eyes. I first had to internalize that intrinsic value of who I was/am in God's estimate for me to now add to my service, a joyful heart and countenance. So I'd say service alone without the correct reference point of who I truly am as a beloved child of God can still leave one feeling empty and potentially abusive to their neighbor. My close relationships have improved significantly since embarking on that 'self-discovery' journey.

    The private work of knowing our worth is important. In our closet, in those private conversations with God, we are equipped to serve others with utmost love and joy being connected and loved by Love Himself. Once that is in place, our love and service for our neighbors is that much purer.

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    • Dear Nomusa – I greatly rejoice with you for ‘finding’ the true source which establishes/calibrates the value of 'all things’, especially concerning human-‘self-worth’.
      I also have experienced the trustworthiness and goodness of God as He led me back to Himself after seeking answers by many different ways.
      Like yours, my experiences also attests to the fact that our heavenly Father, the Creator of heaven and earth and all that is within, is the only source of Truth and Light; no other source is able to discern for us the value of anything that is or is experienced.
      In Christ Jesus, our Savior, the Son of God and Man, the believer has been set free to be free indeed – John8:36KJV.
      May God bless you greatly in your new found freedom of knowing who you are in His eyes, extending His blessings to all your life touches!

      (4)
    • Thank you very much, Nomusa, for sharing your story as balance to what I presented.

      Yes, I believe we need to understand how much we are worth to God and we need to experience the joy God has built into service for Him. As we serve others, we can do so as service to God. That way we experience in a small way the reality of being "valuable" to God, and that brings its own rewards.

      To be honest, I had not thought of the angle of someone in your position being in a profession of service yet still feeling worthless because of being brainwashed as a child. But I suspect your experience is not uncommon.

      Thank you so much for sharing, and may God continue to bless you with a "joyful heart and countenance"!

      I do hope you will continue to share on this blog.

      (2)
  15. Thank-you sister Inge for your posting. It is so refreshing to read it for I believe your thoughts reflect more faithfully the teachings of Jesus. As we contemplate Jesus life we can appreciate how much it pleased him to help and to serve others. You can imagine the look in his eyes and his smile as he shared a piece of bread with someone. In "Steps to Christ" well in the beggining we read:" Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom, and of joy." Every thing created has a purpose for existing. A simple tree can offer so much for those around it. Our mission in life is to serve and make others happy. We do not need to worry about ourselves. The mission of others is to make "us" happy. Even a little puppy can give us such joy. We do not need to "first love ourselves" to be happy. Please sister Inge continue blessing us with your ministry. Big hug.

    (3)
  16. I am so grateful
    This is the first time I have seen the "love yourself first as a prerequisite for loving others" idea challenged. I visualize my Primary Sabbath School Teacher's Illustrated song book with the word "Joy" in huge black letters on red bristol board. She pointed to the letters as she taught us the chorus, Jesus, Others and You, what a wonderful way to spell joy. I enjoyed the experience as I practiced. As an adult, my encounter with this prerequisite was presented by one of our distinguished theologians. It left me very troubled as I unsuccessfully searched for support from Jesus' own words. I half concluded that maybe the idea must be ok because so many pastors were suffering burnt-out while neglecting their families. When the pendulum swung so far that some pastors were neglecting their flock to love their families first, I concluded that something was amiss. I concluded that Jesus loved me whether or not I loved me or others first. Hierarchical sequencing as a prerequisite did not appear to be part of His redemptive plan. I love the joy I feel when I love others first. I am deeply grateful for all the comments.

    (6)
    • And thank *you,* Leola, for affirming that the teaching of needing to love ourselves first is both common and damaging. I love this:

      I love the joy I feel when I love others first.

      (3)
  17. I believe the dilemma relies in what some people understand as “self-love”.

    Self-love is often misunderstood as selfishness or narcissism, but in reality, it is a fundamental component for a healthy and fulfilling life. If a person is selfish then that person doesn’t even love him/herself. Love and selfishness cannot coexist, because love is not selfish.

    What is written in 2 Tim. 3:2 about people being “lovers of themselves” the Greek word accurately translates as “selfish”.

    If it’s love, it’s not selfish, if it’s selfish, it’s not love. Now, for a second, let’s change the word love for respect. A person that has no self respect, will not respect others. With love it’s the same. You cannot give what you don’t have.

    The phrase "you cannot pour from an empty cup" encapsulates why self-love is so crucial. If you neglect your own needs, you may find yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally drained. Without self-love, attempts to care for others might come from a place of obligation rather than genuine compassion, leading to burnout and resentment. Conversely, when you are replenished and balanced, you can give freely and joyfully.

    Self-love isn't about self-centeredness but about filling yourself with enough love and care to share it abundantly.

    John said it in a very magnificent way. «We can’t love what we don’t see, if we don’t love what we see»

    (2)
    • Ah, thank you for finding this post, Emmanuel! I had forgotten that I wrote it.

      Your comment is a great attempt at converting a principle of Lucifer into a principle of Christ. I do not blame you at all because you have probably heard the "love yourself first" message all your life and have interpreted it in a way that fits into biblical teachings. I agree with all the points you make in favor of "self-love."

      Nevertheless, the teaching itself is not found in the Bible and cannot be converted to be biblical. I believe you are actually writing about a recognition of our worth.

      Some points below:

      We need to love ourselves first.

      This is the oft-repeated admonition towards "self-love." Yet the Bible tells us to love God first, our neighbors second. At best, that leaves self-love in third place.

      You wrote:

      let’s change the word love for respect. A person that has no self respect, will not respect others.

      Ah, that's a little different, but I believe I have a better way of arriving at self-respect. Working hard to love or respect self doesn't really work, judging by my own experience. What does work is recognizing how much God values us - enough to die for us! Furthermore, in service to God we are obligated to respect ourselves and our bodies, because we are His property. (See 1 Cor. 6:19-20 NKJV)

      I have ministered to people who were depressed and/or had low self-esteem. Even pointing them to how much God values them didn't solve their issues. What did help was to add acts of service to a recognition of how much God values them. (Depression is a big subject of its own and nutrition, exercise, sleep, etc. play a major role.)

      You wrote:

      The phrase "you cannot pour from an empty cup" encapsulates why self-love is so crucial

      This is a great logical defense of "self-love," but it is inherently faulty in practice. Our cup gets filled by God as we spend time with Him - both in personal devotions and in service. We are utterly unable to fill our own cup by "loving self." When we are filled with the love of God, that love naturally flows out to others.

      You also wrote:

      If you neglect your own needs, you may find yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally drained.

      Ah, so true! Other than the term "self-love," I totally agree. Jesus Himself said to His disciples who spent all their time ministering, "Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.." (Mark 6:31 NLT)
      This goes back to taking good care of our bodies because we belong to Him. (1 Cor. 6:19-20 NLT) "Self-love" is not necessary, but loving God and implementing His directions into our lives is necessary. It is a learning experience - how to balance service with taking care of our own needs so we may serve God better.

      You also wrote:

      Without self-love, attempts to care for others might come from a place of obligation rather than genuine compassion, leading to burnout and resentment. Conversely, when you are replenished and balanced, you can give freely and joyfully.

      Ah, that is so perceptive - something few realize! That is why it is so important to take time to spend with God - a part of loving God first. Jesus did that by getting up early in the morning and spending time in conversation with the Father. Indeed, neglecting that will almost certainly lead to burn-out.

      The bottom line is that the commandments to love God supremely and love others as Christ loved us are sufficient. We don't need a third commandment to "love ourselves first." (John 13:34)

      (1)
      • I honestly have not heard the message of “self-love” at all at any church I’ve attended, not even in seminary (Fuller).

        However I believe I didn’t hear that type of message because, there’s not a bible teaching or command per se, to love yourself. But it is of course implied in many bible texts.

        Just as there’s no text or teaching in the Bible, that specifically speaks about smoking weed, vapes, or any kind of drug, but of course it is implied in many texts.

        Claiming that “self-love” it’s a Lucifer principle, it’s a little bit extreme and it cannot be found in the Bible as such either.

        When you say « Our cup gets filled by God as we spend time with Him» well, that is a reflection of self love. You are aware that you cup need to be filled, the you go before our Father. Neglecting the need to be filled by God, would be somewhat irresponsible with yourself.

        When we invest in ourselves weather it is spiritually, theologically, on, and on… actually reflects that… self love.

        Proverbs 19:8 To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.

        Is proverbs depicting wisdom and self-love as a sin? Not at all, in the contrary. When you seek wisdom (God’s wisdom) you are loving yourself. It’s so obvious.

        I found no fault in self love, when it’s done within reasonable limits, it’s healthy in fact. To claim “self love” it’s not necessary it’s simply irresponsible.

        Appreciate the time you took to read and reply to my comment.

        (1)

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