Biblical Self-love

“He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.” (Pr 19:8 AV)

In a world of self-help books, wisdom is not high on the list of tools to use in the process of loving yourself.  In fact, the world has no idea what true and biblical self-love really is.  The world’s definition of self-love is actually the opposite.  To the world, self-love is accepting what you are without any pressure to change.  It is indulging in any behavior that one wishes.  It is avoiding all hardship possible because to suffer is to hate oneself.  Everything is approached this way.  If there is an uncomfortable event one must go through, then the benefits to self is the motive.  Or, more worldly self-love.  Stewardship of a life accountable to God is no the motive.  Rather, personal happiness is the driving force of enduring momentary suffering.

I am going through a major lifestyle rearrangement.  No longer can I live as I did twenty years ago.  I have one of the best medical teams looking out for me.  From my GP to my Cardiologists, to my Neurologist, etc. they are working as a team for the purpose of better health.  Their motive may be quality of life.  The goal is to get me in better condition so that I do become dependent on treatments for things that an altered lifestyle can provide.  However, there is a better way of looking at this.  I know that in our preaching in the past, we have preached against self-love.  We use Paul’s remarks in Romans chapter seven and Job’s statement regarding self-aberration as the proof text.  When compared to God, this is true.  Yet the same Apostle which said there is nothing in him that is of any good also used a man’s appreciation and care for himself as the minimum benchmark for how a husband is to care for his wife.  The love which we are speaking of here is more of a stewardship and care than it is an admiration.  The later would be sin.  The later would be pride.  The former is that priority that values ‘self’ enough to care for, protect, and improve ‘self’.

The way to accomplish this is not self-pleasure.  It is wisdom and discipline.  The way to care about yourself is to do that which make one a godly person.  Wisdom that stretches through the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of self.  This means self-denial is part of the care package.  This means enduring hardships that shape us into what the LORD knows we need to be because we will enjoy life to its fullest in doing so.  Biblical self-love means learning what is best for self and no matter how uncomfortable that might be, in the long run, it is better for us.  Wisdom would tell you to lay off the salt if you have high blood pressure.  Wisdom would say to avoid wickedness because it causes negative emotions in the soul.  Wisdom would tell us to read the scriptures daily, praying to the LORD for our every need, that the soul may have security in the person of God and the peace which comes by it.  True self-love does not accept the person that we are.  It seeks to always improve upon it.  Biblical self-love sees the person of Jesus Christ and seeks to be transformed.