Love Yourself Unselfishly, and Love Well!
Good Morning My Loves, Yesterday we looked at the meaning of selfishness: To care only about one’s own needs, and lack regard for the needs, rights, and feelings of others. Inconsiderate, stingy, narcissistic, self-seeking. But did you know that selfishness doesn’t equate to loving yourself, and loving yourself doesn’t mean you’re selfish?
We must have a proper love for ourselves, because hating ourself is hating what God loves. God created us, and He loves us, so we should love what God loves, and hate what God hates. God hates selfishness, but He loves the person who is being selfish. So with God’s help, we can loves ourselves unselfishly, and we can love well. When Jesus was asked by the religious leaders what the greatest commandment was, He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 from the Old Testament, in which He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being].” But He also added the second greatest commandment:
“You shall [unselfishly] love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31) I believe the key to understanding how to unselfishly love ourselves, and our neighbor, is to have a revelation of what kind of love Jesus is talking about. The word “love” here is the Greek word “agape.” This is God’s love, and it’s not based on an emotional response. It’s a matter of doing things for the benefit of another, and having an unselfish concern and willingness to seek the best for them.
This is what God did for us. Jesus died for us because we have weaknesses, imperfections, and the disease of sin and selfishness. He knew that without His love we would not be able to love ourselves, or others. He gave us what we need (His agape love) to do what He’s commanded us to do. I always say, “You cannot give away what you do not possess.” When you realize that God laid down His life to take care of you, you will take care of yourself, and you will take care of others. What He deems valuable, you will deem valuable. I’m convinced that selfish people hurt others because they don’t truly have a revelation of how much God loves them. Because they don’t truly know how to love themselves, it damages their relationships with everyone else. Receiving the love of God, and truly loving ourselves is the first step in having healthy relationships with everyone else! -Realize that you are special, but don’t think more highly of yourself than you should. Treat others as special too.
-Believe in yourself, but believe in others too.
-Celebrate your success, but celebrate the success of others too.
-Speak well to yourself, but speak well to others too. -Care for your own needs, but care for the needs of others too.
-LOVE GOD, LOVE YOURSELF, BUT LOVE OTHERS TOO! If you’ll do this, you will fulfill the two greatest commandments, and your obedience will yield blessings beyond your wildest dreams! At the end of your life, the only thing that will matter is how well you loved. So love unselfishly, and LOVE WELL!
I love you all! PV
