Love Yourself: Learn to Self-love in a Good Way

You are not selfish if you love yourself and others. Yes, it is true, the Lord will take care of you. You also have a role to play in your care. Enjoy this 6-minute lesson to get more details!

STM Bible Lesson

Matthew 22:39

A second one, similar to it is, ‘You must love your neighbor the same way that you love yourself.’ (AUV)

Ironically, most do not see the primary message in the picture, “love yourself“. Many people in positions of authority have no problem with the concept of “self-love“. This was especially true of the Pharisees and Sadducees (religious leaders). For one thing, they were attention seekers. Always desired the best seats and respectful greetings in public (Luke 11:43). Not only this, but they often tested Jesus, trying to trap Him (Luke 11:53-54). Yes, these people were perfect examples of self-love in a bad way (selfish).

Note: Paul and James, like Jesus, also quoted Leviticus 19:18: Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14, and James 2:8.

Self-care (good)

But, this lesson’s focus is the love of self in a good way (unselfish). Briefly, self-love meaning, take care of yourself!

If you know how to value yourself, then you can value others. Now that I am an older citizen, I realize the need to respect, appreciate, and take care of myself. That is why I stress the need for self-love.

Take care of yourself

I urge you to take good care of yourself. Yes, it is true, the Lord will take care of you. You also have a role to play in your care.

Note: When Jesus said you must forget about (deny) yourself, He is not saying you should not cherish who and what you are. [See Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34, and Luke 9:23]

Appreciate the physical you

• Get proper rest and avoid stress.
• Exercise as often as you can.
• Be proactive and eat healthily. You can prevent serious health conditions that may develop later.
• Do not drink and get drunk. Avoid using tobacco and illegal/party drugs. Surprisingly, you can enjoy life when you have a clear mind.

And appreciate the Spiritual you

• Develop a good relationship with the Lord. Show Him respect by the way you live your life.
• Abstain from sexual sins. Your body is God’s temple.
• Show love to others, especially those in need.
• Treat others in the same way that you want them to treat you.

1 Corinthians 6:18-19

So run away from sexual sin. It involves the body in a way that no other sin does. So if you commit sexual sin, you are sinning against your own body. 19 You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit that you received from God and that lives in you. You don’t own yourselves. (ERV)

The mirror therapy

So many have a poor self-image. Do you not feel good or do not like something about you? For instance, you may not like your shape or a certain part of your body.

1. Stand in front of a mirror (in your clothes or nude).
2. Place your hands on the part or parts of your body that you do not like/love.
3. Look into your eyes and say, “I love you, I am sorry that I was ashamed of you, but, I adore you“.
4. Repeat this as often as needed to learn to appreciate everything about yourself.

If someone claims that “I love God” and is hating his brother, he is a liar. For the one not loving his brother whom he has seen cannot be loving God Whom he has not seen. 21 And we have this commandment from Him: that the one loving God should be loving his brother also. [1 John 4:20-21 (DLNT)].

Please remember, you are a Christian brother or sister. So, each time you look into a mirror, love that Christian brother/sister that you see. In conclusion, obey God and love others as you, child of God, love yourself. Most importantly, you must love and take care of yourself!

Be blessed my friends and have a wonderful day—♥ Tim.

Related studies/lessons/snacks for further Spiritual growth:

To Love; Learn How To Love Like Jesus Loves – an estimated 16-minute read.

Let God Take Care of Your Worries and Concerns – an estimated 4-minute read.

Agape Love; Genuine Love of God is True Love – an estimated 20-minute read.

Vision of the Heart, Your Vision or the Lord’s? – an estimated 6-minute read.

♥ Question for today: Have you learned to love yourself?

See what is available on the Sound Truth Ministry website.

Reference Scriptures

Note: the key verse(s) are enclosed in parenthesis.

Matthew 22:34-40 [(39); compare Matthew 19:16-22 (19); Mark 12:28-34 (31 and 33); Luke 10:25-28 (27)]; John 13:31-35 [(34); compare John 15:9-17 (12 and 17)]; Luke 11:37-54 (41-43 and 53-54); 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (18-19); 1 John 4:20-21

Copyright information:

(ERV) Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center, Inc. and used by permission. || Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.