Darkness to Light: Love of Self & Neighbor

(Jesus) said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” ~ Matthew 22:37-40
There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person. ~ Fred Rogers
What you must do is love your neighbor as yourself. There is no one who knows your many faults better than you. But you love yourself notwithstanding. And so you must love your neighbor, no matter how many faults you see in him. ~ Martin Buber


Loving yourself can be complicated. I read an article in Psychology Today that challenged the idea that we had to first learn to love ourself before we can love someone else.

 And on some level, that's true. Learning to love ourselves - or even simply like ourselves - can be a process that takes time, and as with learning to love anyone else, it can be a process that has its ups and downs and twists and turns. Somedays it's easy, and other days no so much.

 And yet a healthy self-esteem is still important in the journey of love.

 Because another article in Psychology Today says that those who see themselves in a negative light tend to be attracted to those who do the same - who also view them in a negative light.

 Learning to love ourselves teaches us that though we are not perfect, we are worthy of love and connection.

 Learning to love ourselves teaches us that as we are not perfect, we needn't judge our neighbor for not being perfect...that they are worthy of love as well.

 Our connection is one made by all being children of the Most High. It is one that, as Fred Rogers said, is made through simply being together. Touching each other's lives in small and big ways.

 Love God, love your neighbor, love yourself, Jesus said. Worthiness abounds in the Kingdom.

 Prayer: God of compassion, thank you for giving me neighbors to love. Teach us all to fall into love with each other knowing that you have made us worthy.


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