![]() Self-love can too easily morph from a natural state to a corruption of what is natural. The problem is not that we do not love ourselves, but that we love ourselves too much and others too little. It is for this reason that God’s Word says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” ( Philippians 2:3). We do so to the extent of putting ourselves and our welfare, needs, desires, and ambitions first, before God and before others. ![]() (It tells us to love God and others.) We take care of our own needs. Notice that the Bible never directly tells us to love ourselves, because it’s unnecessary. We naturally love and care for ourselves. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners…” ( Leviticus 19:34). “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.“Love your neighbor as yourself ”( Matthew 22:39 Mark 12:31).This Psychology Today article defines self-love as “a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological and spiritual growth.” Self-love can be a natural and healthy appreciation of self, but also has the potential to easily become excessive, narcissistic, and self ish! Love, today, instead of being merely a strong affection for another, issynonymous with acceptance, tolerance, celebration of diversity, open-mindedness, desire, and pleasure.Īnother type of love we hear a lot about currently is “self-love” ( philautia). ![]() Human love, therefore, cannot be simply defined, as it is being redefined all the time. The word “love” though is a constantly evolving concept with ever-broadening definitions. It has been said that the English language has only one word for love, but English also has other words implying love such as affection, friendship, attraction, etc. The English word “love” has been used in reference to a “strong affection for another” since before the 12 th century, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary. Is it an emotion, a state of being, a choice, an ability, a gift, a force, or all of the above? English Definition of Love Love is and always has been a complex concept. Mania: obsessive, possessive, addictive, dependent Ludus: flirtatious, playful, casual, uncommitted The ancient Greeks had anywhere between four and eight different words for love (depending on the source):
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