Self-love
and self-respect have nothing in common with self-righteousness. I can
understand how these concepts get confusing for some people, even devout
Christians. The Bible warns of thinking too highly of oneself because it makes us vulnerable to failure. The goal of
self-righteousness is to deceive. It gives the impression we’re above the rules
of society.
Thomas Adams said,
"Self-righteousness is the devil's masterpiece. It persuades us to think too
highly of ourselves." However, healthy self-esteem parallels self-respect
and self-love, which are companions to the commandments to love God with your
entire being and your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus
modeled for us self-respect and self-love by consistently putting himself into
the role of a servant even though his righteousness was on the same level as
God the Father. Appropriate self-respect and self-love reach out to others and are
the building blocks for establishing values for a happier, healthier, contented
life.
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