"You need to learn to love yourself, before you can love others." I have heard this "saying" too many times and I, personally, do not believe it is true. In fact I think it is the opposite. I think if we spent more time loving others, I mean TRULY loving them, we may learn how to love ourselves more. There is so much joy in bringing a smile to someone's face. It gives me an uncontrollable energy. I think that is the joy Jesus promises us. He want's to make us smile. He gave his life so that we would smile in thankfulness!
To my friends, family, and those I may run into on the street... I want to love you more. And, I don't want to do it because it is something I need to check off in my Christian duties. But, I want to love you because it is something that Jesus would do and that is where I find my joy. I pray He grabs a hold of our hearts and wraps his arms around us.
Here is a verse that was read in church yesterday (an anthem to my new mindset):
"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:1-4
THIS IS HUGE: "...count others more significant than yoursel[f]." This is something that I definitely can not do on my own. I pray God gives me the power to do this!
I pray for a servant's heart. To do good works. To bear good fruit. To make others smile.
Amen.
