Self Confidence!

A couple of days ago we talked about being a good neighbor to those we pass in our daily walk of life. (See: "Good Neighbors" – 1/6/14)  But as I continue to study on the subject of “Be the Gospel,” I have come to realize that the Word makes it very clear that in order to serve your neighbor, you must first love yourself!  In Galatians 5:14 Paul admonished his readers by telling them that “All of Moses’ teachings are summarized in a single statement, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’” (God’s Word ©)

I think one could clarify this thought in modern language by defining this action as simply being comfortable with who you are!  Jesus always prefaced the command of loving yourself with the loving of God.  So, it would seem that in order to properly love yourself or be comfortable with yourself, you first have to know and love God.

As you work at knowing and loving God, you also begin to know and love who God created you to be!  In that respect, it is not then a prideful self-serving love but a confident, peaceful understanding that lives in the power, love and joy of God’s abilities working in and through you.  2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.” (KJV)  The word “power” could also be translated “ability.” Therefore we see that as a Christian we have been given His abilities to help us in our day to day experiences.  When you see the command of loving God as the catalyst for loving yourself, then you can understand how loving others is a natural byproduct of the love and abilities of God that spill over in a continually expanding relationship with Him! 

When you are not comfortable with yourself it is difficult to reach out to others in need.  When we bought our first home in a new development north of town in the mid 1980’s, I suddenly found myself in the mode of trying to keep up with the neighbors.  Most of our neighbors were two income households and seemed to have little difficulty pouring money into their yards.  We on the other hand, had chosen to homeschool our kids and thereby had only one stream of income.

As I observed our neighbors putting in extravagant landscaping, stone walls and private front patios, I began to allow my self-esteem and confidence to slip.  Don’t get me wrong here, we were trusting God and He did provide three extra weddings to photograph in that first summer which paid for our portion of the back fence as well as a back patio and redwood cover.  But I simply couldn’t keep up with everyone else on the block!  Looking back now I can clearly see that I was more concerned with pleasing man than I was with pleasing God!  The lack of self-confidence that I experienced back then caused me to not spend much time out front “Being the Gospel” to my spiritually needful neighbors!  My wife, on the other hand, was not bothered in the least and reached out to all the Mom’s and kids around us!  Because of her focus on God and knowing who she was in Christ, our house ended up being “that house” on the block where all the kids hung out!

Over the years I have learned the folly of my ways and put more effort into pleasing God than man.  And in doing so, I find myself actually pleasing my neighbors more effectively!  So… let me ask you a funny question today.  How much do you love yourself?  Are you comfortable enough with who God has created you to be and with the tools He has provided for you to effectively reach out in service to your neighbors?  Galatians 5:13 says that to love is to serve.  How is your community service doing?

Lots to think about wouldn’t you say?  Have a great day!  Stay in tune to His Word (which is the key to success!) and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”