Love Yourself!
- Amy Allen
- Jul 4
- 3 min read
Love Yourself Healthy!
Mark 12:29-31
Self-Love vs. Loving Yourself — Let’s Get It Straight (God’s Way)
It seems everywhere you look these days, there’s a message telling you to practice self-love. On the surface, that sounds harmless—even healthy. But have you ever stopped to ask: What does that really mean? And more importantly… Is it biblical?
Let’s break it down. There’s a big difference between the world’s version of self-love and what the Bible actually teaches about loving yourself.
The World Says: Self-Love First
The world shouts:
"You’re enough!"
"Put yourself first!"
"Self-Love more!"
It sounds empowering… until you realize this version of self-love often puts you at the center of everything, with no need for God. It’s a self-made, self-focused, self-obsessed mindset.
In fact, scripture gives us a gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) warning about this.
📖 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves…”— 2 Timothy 3:1-2
Ouch. That hits different, doesn’t it? When self-love becomes self-worship, it’s a problem.
Jesus Says: Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
Here’s where it gets real. Jesus didn’t tell us to idolize ourselves. But He also didn’t tell us to despise ourselves. In Mark 12:31, He gives a simple, powerful command:
📖 “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
To love others well, we need to have a healthy, God-honoring love for ourselves. Not pride. Not ego. But recognizing our God-given value as His creation.
It’s not about puffing yourself up. It’s about seeing yourself the way your Heavenly Father does—with love, grace, and purpose.
The Source of Real Love
Here’s the key difference:
Self-Love says: I create my own worth. I generate my own love.
Biblical Love says: I receive my worth and love from God.
God loved you first. He made you, He values you, and He invites you to see yourself through His eyes.
📖 “We love because He first loved us.”— 1 John 4:19
Everything good starts there.
What Loving Yourself (God’s Way) Looks Like
Loving yourself biblically is not selfish. It’s actually humble stewardship. It looks like:✔ Knowing you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)✔ Caring for your body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23)✔ Setting healthy boundaries (Proverbs 4:23)✔ Speaking to yourself with grace, not condemnation (Romans 12:3)✔ Receiving God's forgiveness and living free (Romans 8:1)
When you love yourself God’s way, you’re not putting yourself above others—you’re filling your cup with His love so you can pour into others.
Quick Comparison: World vs. Word
Worldly Self-Love | Biblical Loving Yourself |
Self is source | God is source |
Pride and independence | Humility and dependence on God |
Based on performance/appearance | Based on identity in Christ |
Focused on entitlement | Focused on stewardship |
Can neglect others | Empowers love for others |
But Wait… Isn’t Self-Love Just Self-Care?
Here’s the thing—what many people are calling "self-love" these days is really just self-care, and that's a whole different conversation. Self-care is wise. It's biblical. It's taking care of your body, soul, and spirit so you can be effective for the Kingdom. We’ll dive into that in another blog, because trust me, it’s worth unpacking properly!
Let’s Wrap This Up
God never asked you to be your own Savior or source of love. That’s His job—and He does it perfectly.
He designed you with purpose. He redeemed you with love. And because of that, you can love yourself—not in a prideful, "me-first" way—but in a grace-filled, God-honoring way.
And friend… when you see yourself the way He does? That changes everything.
Reflection Question:Where have I believed the world’s version of self-love—and how can I shift toward loving myself the way God intended?
Prayer:"Lord, show me how to love myself the way You love me—fully, humbly, and rooted in truth—so I can reflect Your love to others."
At Health Style Coaching, I teach women how to love themselves healthy — body, soul, and spirit — the way God intended. It’s not about trends or diets. It’s about wholeness, purpose, and walking in your God-given identity.
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