Matthew 22:37-39 – “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

It’s not easy to tell someone to love themselves more…because this is usually misunderstood. Isn’t the main problem with people is pride and selfishness? “Love yourself more, because you’re not selfish enough already!” That doesn’t preach too well.

For most of us, I don’t think acting selfish is the root problem. I think we typically hate ourselves, the most important parts of who we are, too much. Hate is a strong word. I get that. Soften it up if you want. However, many of us are insecure, lacking confidence and faith because we’re haven’t accepted God’s work in our lives. We don’t resolve ourselves to accept it every day and make it a core reality of who we are. Instead, we chose a different path. We hold on to guilt, we beat ourselves up. And while we tear ourselves down on the inside, on the outside we prop up a false picture of perfection to the world.

When you look in the mirror, are you excited by what you see? When you close your eyes at night, is your heart made heavy with regret or gratefulness? Are you unshakably convinced of your personal value?

Think about the connection between loving your neighbor and loving yourself.

Your self love isn’t just a model, a “how to love others.” That is to say, in the ways that you love yourself, you ought to love others. Our self love may start as a weak and immature model, but the real model for loving others is found in Jesus. He’s the one who have his life as a ransom. He’s the one who demonstrated humility.

Loving ourselves is the fuel and foundation for loving others. If we don’t love ourselves, we can’t love others. Not the way God intended. Loving ourselves is the tangible acceptance of God’s redemption and grace in our lives. The necessary bridge between loving God and loving others is loving ourselves.

I know a lot of people who hate themselves. They wish for a different DNA so they can escape the hell of their current lives. This self hate seeps out of the cracks and into every thought, word, and deed.

This should not be.

In the midst of all the stupid things we do, the sins we choose, the pain we cause others, how can we possibly love ourselves? Here are a few reasons why you ought to love yourself:

(1) God loves you. (John 3:16). God’s love makes us valuable.
(2) God made you (Genesis 1:31). God doesn’t make mistakes.
(3) God sent his Son to teach, save, suffer, and die for us (See John 3:16 again). God wouldn’t waste his time.
(4) God has gifted you to do great things (Romans 12:6). We were made to do great things.

I’m sure there are a lot more reasons, but in sort, it boils down to this: God creates (and restores) value in us, how can we not value ourselves? How can we think to value others if we don’t first love ourselves?

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