Time to break down some barriers to abundant life today. Philippians 2:3 has been used to batter believers across time.
“Think of everyone but yourself!”
“It’s not right to think of yourself!”
Those are just a couple that I’ve heard for myself. The thing is, when we tap into the Holy Spirit, asking Him to reveal Truth to us as we read scripture, we see that’s not at all what Paul was saying.
Jesus said to love others as we love ourselves.
Paul wrote to think of others as better than ourselves.
Those are not contradictory. They are quite complementary and rich with meaning.
First, if we hate ourselves or care poorly for ourselves, we will do the same for others. We will talk to them like we talk to ourselves. We will find fault and denigrate their every action. That’s not the love Jesus intended.
If we think we’re ugly, incompetent, useless beings, we’ll see others as better than us, but that won’t mean much, because they’re just above ugly, incompetent, and useless, and probably out to take advantage of us.
We are to have a right opinion of ourselves. We are to see ourselves as a unique creation made by God Himself, chosen by Him as a masterpiece to reveal His glory. We are designed with a purpose. We are beautiful, strong, capable, smart, discerning, and confident. We should be thinking of ourselves this way instead of feeding on the lies the enemy offers.
When we operate from this right opinion, we love others well, and we are able to see others as better than ourselves, awesome and wonderful, because we are, too.
Thinking well of yourself is not arrogance or pride when you do so from the knowledge that God is the reason for your design. We must not let anyone tell us we’re less than what God created us to be because we believe in and take care of ourselves. Like Jesus, we must be about the Father’s business in the way He created us to be.
Choose today to love yourself so you can love others. Step into your calling with humility, seeing others as better than your amazing self. You are awesome, they’re even more so. Makes serving a lot better, doesn’t it?
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
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