God's Word to the Wise

In my work in education, juvenile justice, and human services it was often said that the issues with which an individual is struggling are because they have a poor self-image. God’s view of self-image is the polar opposite of the current predominant view. The Law rests on two commandments, “Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves.” (Matthew 22:37-39) The problem is not a poor self-image, but a distorted self-image. 

It is natural and normal to love yourself—it is our default position. There is no lack of self-love in our world. The command to “love your neighbor as yourself” is essentially telling us to treat other people as well as we treat ourselves. Scripture never commands us to love ourselves; it assumes we already do. In fact, people in their unregenerate condition love themselves too much—that is the problem.

We are to take our eyes off ourselves and care for others. Christian maturity demands it. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3–4). According to this passage, loving others requires humility, a valuing of others, and a conscious effort to put others’ interests first. Anything less than this is selfish and vain—and falls short of the standard of Christ.

We love others based on God’s abiding love for us in Christ. In response to this love, we share it with all whom we come in contact with—our “neighbors.” Late in my career when it was said that the person had a poor self-image, I would respond, “No, their self-image is distorted. They actually think too highly of themself.” I would get looks that if they could kill…

Our concern should be our love for God and love for our neighbor. The love of “Self” not so much.