Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

Love your Neighbor as Yourself

My friend said, "The Christian life is not that complicated; you just love God with all your being, love yourself, and love your neighbor." Something about the way he said it, did not ring true. I had never heard it said like that. For most of my life I had heard the verse love your neighbor as yourself, but truly I had never really thought about the fact that if I didn't love myself, then how could I love my neighbor? I have written about this before, but as I was listening to the Lord this morning I realized there are still areas of struggle in my life and I am sure I am not the only one.
In religious thinking we are taught to hate ourselves. We draw errant conclusions about who we are. We think self-deprecation is an act of humility. We constantly focus on our insufficiencies and think we are spiritual in our self-loathing. We beg and plead with God to make us something He says we already are. We set standards for ourselves and others that neither us nor them can achieve.

This morning, I felt the Lord was speaking to me and I felt this wrestling in my soul and spirit. The things I was hearing were things that God had said in the past and I had not seen them fulfilled. It was like the Lord was saying to me I am going to restore and fulfill dreams that I have given you in the past. My soulish thinking was, "Lord, I'm old"; "Lord, I don't have the strength or energy anymore"; "It's too late", etc. You get the idea. What I realized was deep down inside there were doubts that I was worthy of such a blessing. I'd rather be known as a man of faith and power for the hour, but I'm trying to be real here because someone needs to hear this. Let me express a few thoughts that came to mind this morning:

1. Self-deprecation is not humility. Tearing oneself down does not build you up. False humility is a coverup for pride. Humility is not weakness. It is the recognition that apart from Him we can do nothing.

2. Self-exaltation is not loving oneself. Exalting oneself is often a compensation for one's perceived lack or attitude about themselves. Pride is not loving oneself. That kind of love is destructive. God resists the proud. Pride goeth before a fall. Pride keeps us from grace.

3. If I don't know who I am, then I will be who I think myself to be. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.

4. If I cannot receive myself then I cannot receive others.

5. Self-hatred and self-rejection leads to rejection by others. That which I project upon myself will be projected to others. Not only will I minister rejection, but in the principle of sowing and reaping, I will reap it in greater measure than I sow.

So what is loving oneself? It is not the "all about me" syndrome; it is the ability to receive myself as God has created me. Accepting myself just as I have been accepted in the beloved. If I can receive myself I can receive others. If I accept myself, I can accept others. What you see in the mirror does not determine your acceptance. It is the heart. Remember little David. God looks at the heart. Paul said that we regard no man according to the flesh.

I am having difficulty expressing what is on my heart today, but there is something I saw in my own life that I need to express. I saw that if I cannot receive myself; I cannot receive the promises of God. Unworthiness will keep you from receiving the blessing of the Lord. I know that apart from God none of us are worthy of God's blessing, but it is not about you; it is about the Father and the Father loves His children and desires to bless them. As parents, you know your children are not perfect, so do you choose to do them harm or do you desire to bless them?

Guilt, condemnation, self-hatred, rejection, and pride are very destructive forces in the lives of a Christian. They keep people from their potential in God. They keep you from God's best. Self-rejection rejects the grace of God.

So often people come to God like the man whose son was demonized and said to Jesus "If You can". God says that is not the right question. The leper came to Jesus and said "If you are willing You can make me clean." Jesus said, "I am willing, be cleansed." I know there are areas in my life that unwittingly by doubting God's ability to do it in me, I have said, "can you?" I must get past the question "Can?" and even the question of "Are You willing?" to the place of hearing Jesus say, "I am willing, be released into your destiny."

I am thankful for a Father who is infinitely patient with me and is still teaching me and bringing things to mind that I had forgotten. God loves you so much. Be blessed today.
In His love,
Herb Dean