Almost True 2 // When Self-Love Is Selfish

Putting ourselves first is one of the most natural things we do.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) | ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV) | But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud … ⁴lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power.

Maybe our problem isn’t that we don’t love ourselves enough. Maybe it’s that we love ourselves too much.

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV) | ³⁰“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Loving Self: Loving yourself is not a command; it’s an assumption.

We need to look to Jesus to overcome our self-obsession.

• Matthew 16:24 (NIV) | Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
• Galatians 2:20 (NIV) | ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Jesus Didn’t Call Us To …

• Promote ourselves, but to humble ourselves.
• Pamper ourselves, but to deny ourselves.
• Serve ourselves, but to serve others.
• Put ourselves first, but to put ourselves last.
• Seek our pleasure, but to pursue God’s purpose.

Check Your Motive

• Let self-care help you love God and others!
• Self-Love will never fill you, only God’s love can!

Application: In what area of your life are you loving yourself more than God and loving others? What is God calling you to do about it?

Let’s Pray: How are you living in obsession with self as opposed to love?
Where do you need conviction and courage to change?

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Reflection Questions:

1. How do you struggle with the world’s idea of self-care vs God’s plan for us in relationship with Him and others?
2. 2 Timothy 3:5 warns of a religion that lacks God’s power. What does that mean to you? What is the threat? Where are you tempted by such?
3. What do you think Jesus meant when He said to love others as we love self?
4. Why is it so hard to deny self, yet live for God?
5. As you check your motives to fully live in God’s truth, what do you need to fill and fulfill your heart, mind, body, and soul?