LOVE THYSELF
／Evelyn O. Shih
From the Old Testament to the New Testament, 'to love thy neighbor as thyself' has always been the second most important commandment. Our Lord Jesus said it very clearly in the 22nd chapter of St. Matthew: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all the soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first the great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
'Love other people as you love yourself' is the basic standard of our attitude and can be the uttermost love we could give. This should satisfy us and make us happy, however, we see so many who despair and suffer in love. What's wrong? I think the problem is that we don't know how to love ourselves.
It's true, we don't love ourselves. Instead, we hurt ourselves. We have no self control, we do anything that we desire to do. We have no goals of life, no discipline to improve ourselves. Someone once said that human beings are the most stupid animals in the world, because other animals won't eat anything that will damage their health; but human beings will.
How can such a person love somebody else? Since he hurting himself, he will certainly hurt others. He doesn't know how to love others, for he has no love in his heart.
So, get love from God who is the source of love and He is love. At first, claim yourself as God's child and respect this position. Try to live godly. Then equip yourself with love until you are full of it to the extent that it overflows. In this way you will naturally keep the two commandments without any force.
To love yourself is for the sake of loving others. It is not a selfish or self centered kind of love. Usually we see marriages broken in this way, because each wants to take more love and forgets to give. The taker never has enough and the giver gets so tired. Eventually both become victims.
Self love is not self pity either. One of the chief reasons that many mothers-in-law abuse their daughters-in-law is because they were abused by their mothers-in-law. They pity themselves so they seek revenge on others. Most of family violence can be traced in this way too.
Love God first, then you can love yourself in the right way. Don't reverse the order.
St. Valentine's Day is here again. Wishing that you will be a good and loving Valentine!
