SELF-LOVE??!! -2

In one of my previous posts, I did speak of self-love but didn’t throw much light on why it is stupid/dangerous. Let’s break this down!

1. The Definition.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as, “love of self, such that – an appreciation of one’s own worth or virtue; proper regard for and attention to one’s own happiness or well-being; inflated love of or pride in oneself. “

Well, there are many different definitions for self-love, but all of it comes down to the same theme.

     2. The Common Assumption.

Many have believed that self-love helps us to become the better version of ourselves and we cannot love others until you love ourselves. (ME: bro, it’s not money..that u fill yourself first and divide it with others.xD) 

     3. Let’s dive into the Bible.

 How believers take this verse wrong.

“Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like this: ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”

• Matthew 22:37-39

Now, what are the 2 greatest commandments?

1. Love your GOD.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

There’s no 3rd commandment that says, love yourself first to love others. 

Let’s look at this scripture.

” Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” ” –John 13:34b

Do you understand that depth? 

 Also, the Bible clearly states, “We love because He loved us first”

-John 4:19

So, where does the self-love play any role when you love others because HE loved us first and not you love others because YOU love yourself first? (logically, the theory of love yourself to love others debunked!)

      4. True Love.

A King left His throne, became a man, born under the law, to die for you and I ! Why He had to do all that?  LOVE. 

   5. Deeper insight.

There was this really rich man in Israel who could not give to the poor all that he had stored for himself when Jesus asked that man to follow Him. Why do you think that man was not ready? Here’s what I think. He probably loved what he had gathered up too much, in the name of keeping himself content/happy/fulfilling.

There was a man called John, who said…” HE must increase, but I must decrease.” In the very previous verse, he says, “this my joy, therefore, is fulfilled”. There were many other people like Paul, Peter, so on. If they had given priority to loving themselves first, then they would all be safe! And we would not have had the Bible in our hands today. 

Pride.

It is right, that we’re made in the image of God. This does not mean that we idolize ourselves. Eventually, loving one’s self can end up in pride. Don’t we remember Satan? He was a magnificent being, full of wisdom and beauty. What happened at the end?

“Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.” 

-Ezekiel 28:17

Lucifer apparently became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, and position that he began to desire for himself the honor and glory that belonged to God alone. The sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride.

-www.christianity.com

 

   6.The Social Media trend.

Many of us have fallen into the traps of #SelfLove. What is this yielding? 

Based on my personal experience.

When I had an Instagram account, the popular hashtags and the popular bloggers influenced me so quickly, that I/any teenager with no brains would believe in the idea of loving yourself is the key to a happy life. What happened next is scary. I started reading worldly inspirational quotes, some stupid billionaire books, “do whatever you like”, boasting of myself- my so-called goodness, my talents, the things I own… I can go on this way. Ultimately, this led to a great fall! This whole self-love thing stays only until you destroy yourself completely and it probably would be too late to even realize. Please ask those who teach you to love yourself these 3 questions.

1. What is love?
2. From where did you learn to love? (if learned from someone, who taught them?)
3. How long did the #SelfLove trend last in your life?

Conclusion.

I don’t mean to encourage you to hate yourself! We are His beloved. We are created in His own image. He loves us so much that He came down to die for sinners like us. We are redeemed, loved. We’re made righteous in Him. We are His tabernacle. 

Have a look at the following:

 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

• Phillippians 2:3-4

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…

• 2 Timothy 3:2

Thank you for reading until the end. God found a way to love a sinner by paying the price for us on the cross that Friday afternoon. I don’t see any need for us to add extra efforts into loving ourselves. Of course, personal hygiene is important!(pls.. get the context right xD).

xo,

Bye-eee