A couple of weeks ago I took my daughter and her friends to see a Korean pop (KPop) group, BTS. While they were in America, BTS spoke at the UN. Their message?
Love Yourself.
It’s a great message … something we all need to strive to achieve, yet most of us fail.
So, how do we do it? How do we love ourselves?
How can we love ourselves if we don’t even know what love is?“But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” – 1 John 4:8
Wait. God is love? The God I know from the Bible is merciful, gracious, and compassionate, but He’s also harsh. Is that love? Love isn’t a warm and fuzzy feeling?STEP #2: Understand Love
If God is love, the only way to understand love is to study the Bible and get to know God. The Bible has a LOT to say about love! Here are a few great passages:“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13
“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40
Here’s what I learn from these three passages:- Love doesn’t elevate yourself
- Love is sacrificial
- We are commanded to love God and others
STEP #3: Look at examples
If God is love, and love is a sacrificial thing that doesn’t seem to take my feelings into account, then I argue that no human has done this perfectly … aside from Christ. So, let’s look at Him.“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” – Romans 5:8
So, God (who is love) and His Son, Jesus Christ (who also is God-and yet also human), both showed their love for us through sacrifice.STEP #4: Evaluate
From what I can find, God never tells us to love ourselves. But He loves us, so I’m sure He doesn’t want us to go around as broken people, hating ourselves. He wants us to know how much He loves us and find strength in Him. That is why He gave us the Bible—His love letter to us all and why He sent His Son to die for us, so we could be filled with the Holy Spirit.“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” – John 14:26
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
All these passages point to three truths:- God is love
- God loves us
- God wants us to love Him and others.
STEP #5: Conclusion
My conclusion is that we will grow to love ourselves after we’ve received the Holy Spirit, and as we trust God more and think of ourselves less. It’s a lifelong process that doesn’t involve loving yourself as the goal. The goal is to fulfil God’s commands to love Him and others. Loving yourself is a byproduct that comes from living such a selfless life.“No God, No Love – Know God, Know Love.” -Unknown
But don’t take my word for it. Study it for yourself and see. If you find a way to love yourself outside of Christ, please share…I’m curious how it would be possible. Better yet, share your experience with how God has helped you. You are loved, J F Rogers