19. As yourself…
…and the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself”
Matthew 22:39
The second this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no greater commandment than these.
Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27
Today’s verses are the second part of Jesus’ commandments on love given in response to a law teacher’s question as to which of the commandments (given to Moses during the exodus – see Exodus 20) was the most important?
The first part – about loving God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength – we have already covered. I like to see this kind of love as vertical love, upwards to God. Now we will look at horizontal love, across the world to our families, friends, neighbours.
I am struck by the simplicity of these few words, five in total – Love your neighbour as yourself. So how hard can that be? The key here is the last two words “as yourself” – what if we don’t particularly feel that we love ourselves? What if we have grown up with an understanding that we have no value, we are not worthy of love? What if we have been verbally, spiritually, or physically abused? What if we think we are damaged goods and don’t deserve to be loved?
I’m going out on a bit of a limb here, but I believe that much of the high prevalence of mental illness stems from this inability to love ourselves for any of the reasons above. So many people see no value in their own existence, they see nothing good in themselves. Many end their lives as a result – such tragedy. If we can’t love ourselves then it is very hard to love others.
To love ourselves we must first know that we have identity, value, we are important, we have a place and a role in the world. We must first be loved and know we are loved. This is made so much easier when we know in our hearts just how much God loves us unconditionally, eternally, completely. We are each amazing, special, unique in his eyes. We are beautiful, handcrafted by the master.
We must face the lies we hear that have been sewn by the enemy about us and allow God to love us, to heal us. Then we can love ourselves and our neighbours in a new and exciting way…
Prayer: Lord, there are times when I feel that I am not likeable, loveable. When I don’t even really love myself. But this pales to insignificance when I focus on your amazing love for me. Your love that will never leave me or forsake me. Today I pray for those who don’t understand or feel your great love for them, your grief for them in their brokenness. Heal them, Lord, bring them to wholeness and restore their self-love.
Amen
Action: Today look inside your own heart. How is your love for yourself? Do you need healing? Do you need release from lies you have been fed or fed yourself for so long that they have become a perverted truth for you? Take it all to Jesus, lay it at the foot of the cross. Receive God’s healing love today and begin to love yourself as he loves you – unconditionally, eternally, and completely.
Journal your thoughts…
