The more we are in love with ourselves the less we can love others.
Isn't it interesting that the world teaches just the opposite of the biblical principle of self love. The school systems, the colleges, the high schools and even in elementary schools everyone is robotically repeating the mantra, "you have to love yourself first in order to love others."
Sounds very good until one understands the principle of love through God's eyes. We are born loving ourselves too much, so much so that we have to be trained to love others. We don't have to train a two year old to be selfish, that comes automatically, instinctively they demand their way without any thought of their parents or siblings.
While the devil has been deceiving people into placing themselves above everyone including God, he has managed to convince the selfishly inclined that they are doing a good thing by elevating self to god like status. The same way he deceived Eve in the garden, he has been convincing people clear until this very day, to view themselves as first and foremost above every person and even God.
Philippians 2:2-4 "…2 then make my joy complete by being of one mind, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
As believers our joy is rooted in our security in Christ, His provision, His truth and His ability to be the Fatherly figure we need outweighs any need to be accepted or elevated by man. When we elevate Him above ourselves and above others we walk in confidence and joy, without worries and anxieties.
1 Peter 5:6-8 "…6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. 7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
Self focus creates insecurity, our idols are men rather than confidence in Christ. The devil wants us to be insecure, dependent on the acceptance of men, it gives him more power over us.
The devil has no power over born again believers who are confident about who they are in Christ. The devil demands the building of pride, the very thing that got him thrown out of heaven. God demands humility and trust in Him, this brings great joy and spiritual and emotional stability.
Hallelujah!!!!
An authentic person is not one who scans the room to see what others are doing and then act acceptable to others.
The authentic person is themselves no matter who they are with. How others expect an authentic person to act is not important to them, they must remain true to what they believe.
As born again believers we are not concerned with being accepted by man. Since we are accepted by Christ our only concern and prayer is that Christ work in us His way in His timing.
Whether or not I am "good enough" is not worthy of our attention. We know we are not good enough, we cannot be good enough. It is only Christ Who is good enough and He has imputed His goodness to us.
Christ will grow us and change us over time throughout our lives, no need to worry about it or agonize over how much we have grown.
1 Peter 2:4-6 "4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture:"
Unity is not based on softening everything so everyone will be happy. God's unity is agreement to go to Christ and His Word to find truth. We are unified in the truth, not in mutual acceptance of sin or error.
I know that others have encountered these things, that's why I write about it. The Lord has taken me to a wonderful place of trusting Him because of everything, I praise Him and my joy is great!
When Our children were in public schools the children were being trained to follow their teachers instead of their parents. Homeschooling was just getting started then, I wanted to do it to keep my children away from the teachers. My husband was not born again yet and insisted that they go to public school.
As the years went by the children grew to despise me for teaching something different from what the teachers were teaching. Our children have been deeply indoctrinated by extended family members and the school system to elevate themselves. Through excessive praise and kitten mitten handling, they are hyper sensitive to correction to this very day. They are middle aged now, in their 40's and still are enraged when any attempt is made to share wisdom with them.
Not only were the children taught these things they began gossiping to others things that were not true in order to continue the contempt against me. Narcissists cannot be alone, they must have followers and validaters to enhance their ego.
The so called, "Christian" relatives have fostered the same attitude as the school system, the mentality that "your mother doesn't know anything." Having come from a narcissistic family in which I was the scapegoat, the children thought there must be something about me that deserves contempt because of the way the relatives and the school system were treating me.
This is the plight of anyone who swims up stream against the prevailing current. We will not only be rejected by those who love the world, but they will pass on their contempt to others who have little to no information about us. Since those who love the world are popular they will be believed when they pass on their view of their target.
The reaction of the narcissist will no doubt be anger when they read this. The born again believer who reads this will feel badly that they have been a part of the narcissistic gossip and repent. The anger in those who are prideful will show they love their gossip and refuse to ask God to show them truth.
It is common now for the devil to place irrational and angry thoughts in those who have no defense against him. They will be influenced more by their feelings than they are by reasoning and facts. When an entire culture is driven by feelings, the war zones grow larger. When anger drives a culture, there is no place that is safe for the believer.
Thank the Lord we are not yet being imprisoned for our faith in this country, but we are attacked frequently by family and systems that honor popular opinion above God.
We know who our friends are by the way they treat us. It makes no sense to keep in our lives those who love to treat us with contempt. Especially if those people call themselves Christians.
Treating other brothers and sisters in Christ with contempt and lack of respect is sin, here is what God says about it;
1 Corinthians 5:11-12 "11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12 What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?…"
Proverbs
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
Treating a brother or sister in Christ with contempt and demeaning merely because of what you might hear about them from others is indulging in gossip, but even worse is the treatment based on the gossip.
If you did not go to the person who is the object of the gossip to find out the truth, then you love your gossip. If you cannot bring yourself to go to the person gossiped against, then your responsibility is to choose not to believe anything you have not seen for yourself or investigated for yourself.
The reason people have remained silent or soft peddled things is because we have been taught all our lives that we are not gracious if they talk back to mean spirited people.
The false Christianity has taught milk toast responses or no responses to such a degree that the false guilt the Christian would feel, prevents them from boldly speaking out.
I have been bold all my life and have incurred the wrath of Christian's who believe a woman should always be silent. I don't usurp my husband or cause trouble in the church, I merely speak my mind in the company of whomever. Narcissists hate boldness, they see it as an affront to them personally.
There are those who would exclude you from their group to make you jealous for them. These are the immature tactics of a child. When we encounter those who love their cliques, but also love that others are not welcome, we learn that we would not enjoy those people, those who love to hurt others merely to elevate themselves will never be a good friend to anyone.
Believers love one another, they include all those who belong to Christ, even extending love to those who do not know Him. There is never a thought to exclude a brother or sister, in fact, authentic believers hate to hurt anyone. They could never engage in the tactics of those who love to be elevated above others.
Galatians 4:16-17 "…16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you will be zealous for them. "
Its wonderful to be in the family of God, the love and kindness flows freely without restraint, but not to be elevated, but to bless others, the joy of blessing others with validation and encouragement is stronger than any personal desire.
Jesus Christ loves you as you are, but loves you too much to leave you that way. Adrian Rogers
God wants to make us Holy, at salvation is only the beginning of His work in us.
