“To be emotionally healthy, we need to love ourselves!” I hear this all the time. This statement is often associated with holding ourselves in high regard and having an appreciation for our own worth or value. Having self-respect, self-worth, and self-confidence aren’t bad things, but where does the appreciation for our own worth and value come from? And, what if we have a skewed view of the love of ourselves?
I hear people say that we should love ourselves, but what does that really mean? Does it mean indulging in all our desires and taking everything we want? If we eat unhealthy foods, refuse to exercise, or engage in other unhealthy behaviors, is that loving one’s self? No, it is not. Love is an action. It means taking care of ourselves by eating healthy, exercising, and living a healthy lifestyle.
Loving one’s self is not about self-indulgence or selfishness. In fact, modern terms of self-love are often an excuse for hedonistic self-indulgence. True love for oneself involves discipline, which is a key factor in how we behave. Just as a parent who loves their child disciplines them, if we truly love ourselves, we will make discipline a key factor in how we behave.
The worth of human life comes from God, not from staring in the mirror and professing some platitudes of self-worth to one’s own reflection. The Bible says in Psalm 139:14 (ESV), “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Human life has value because God values it. He places His image upon us, giving us value. The life we live is valuable because the author of all existence values it. We don’t really need self-worth when we have God-worth.
People who are not Christians generally find their worth in what they accomplish. The world views those who are “successful,” you know, the wealthy and the popular and imparts value upon them. But what if you are moving through life and feel like you haven’t accomplished very much? What if “success” hasn’t been realized? What if you’ve been in survival mode and getting through the day is all you can do? Does that mean you have no value? Possibly to the world, it does. But in Christ, we are valued because God loves us. And, we have the potential to be eternally successful. In Christ, we can make a big impact for eternity by loving people, being faithful, being generous, accepting others, and sharing the Gospel. Our success with God isn’t measured in dollar signs or popularity – but in loving God and loving people.
To love ourselves properly, we must understand that our worth comes from God. If we truly love ourselves, we will take care of our bodies, minds, and souls. We will avoid indulgence and instead, focus on discipline. We will not focus on what we have done or what others think of us, but on the fact that God values us. When we love ourselves by taking care of ourselves, we can greater understand how to love our neighbors as ourselves.
