Before you go any further, you must first understand yourself. Before you love others, you must first love yourself. I am not speaking about self-centeredness, self-love, pride or selfishness. I am speaking about finding out who you are in Christ, and as a person(individual) and then coming to terms with that individual. Knowing who you are is the first step toward becoming whole. Accepting that person is the second step.
What I have learned in all my years as an adult, and through marriage and divorce, and marriage again, is this: If you need to get married to be fulfilled or loved, you are not ready for marriage. The very thing that makes you need to get married will become the problem in the marriage. By the way, experience isn't the best teacher; being obedient is.
In God's Constitution (the Bible), King Jesus told the people to love their neighbors as themselves. Notice He didn't say "if you feel like it". ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ You cannot love your neighbor if you are having problems loving yourself. That is the problem with our society and churches today. People aren't "real", they "fake one another out" with false hugs and kisses in church. They appear to be loving to one another, but really hate themselves. Here is an example: "God bless you!" Be blessed!" "I love you". They give you a smile, but show no teeth. The very next time someone says to you "I love you", try replying back to them "But do you love yourself?"
Keep in mind, it isn't important whether you say you love me. This isn't going to work until you begin to love yourself, because if you do not love you, you are going to be looking toward me to make that happen in your life. You are going to expect from me more than I can possibly give; and also to make up for what you lack in yourself.
Now the Word of God is so simple and we seem to make it so confusing. We get so busy trying to love our neighbors that we have no time to love ourselves. Then we get disappointed in ourselves and add to self-rejection when we find we cannot love them.
My wife Arlene and I are so much in love ourselves, that we are thinking on the kingdom level, but it has been a process. I will continue this conversation tomorrow.
Matthew 22:39
~~W.R. Luchie
What I have learned in all my years as an adult, and through marriage and divorce, and marriage again, is this: If you need to get married to be fulfilled or loved, you are not ready for marriage. The very thing that makes you need to get married will become the problem in the marriage. By the way, experience isn't the best teacher; being obedient is.
In God's Constitution (the Bible), King Jesus told the people to love their neighbors as themselves. Notice He didn't say "if you feel like it". ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ You cannot love your neighbor if you are having problems loving yourself. That is the problem with our society and churches today. People aren't "real", they "fake one another out" with false hugs and kisses in church. They appear to be loving to one another, but really hate themselves. Here is an example: "God bless you!" Be blessed!" "I love you". They give you a smile, but show no teeth. The very next time someone says to you "I love you", try replying back to them "But do you love yourself?"
Keep in mind, it isn't important whether you say you love me. This isn't going to work until you begin to love yourself, because if you do not love you, you are going to be looking toward me to make that happen in your life. You are going to expect from me more than I can possibly give; and also to make up for what you lack in yourself.
Now the Word of God is so simple and we seem to make it so confusing. We get so busy trying to love our neighbors that we have no time to love ourselves. Then we get disappointed in ourselves and add to self-rejection when we find we cannot love them.
My wife Arlene and I are so much in love ourselves, that we are thinking on the kingdom level, but it has been a process. I will continue this conversation tomorrow.
Matthew 22:39
~~W.R. Luchie
