In both the Old and New Testaments, we see that God expects us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Lev 19:18; Mark 12:31). Although we often focus on the “love your neighbor” part, today I’d like to draw attention to the “as yourself ” part. Why should you love yourself? What makes you loveable? In what follows, I’ll cover three reasons why you should love yourself before getting practical about how to love yourself effectively.

Why Love Yourself #1: Made in God’s Image

The art world was amazed when a member of the Saudi royal family paid 450 million dollars for a painting of Jesus at Christie’s in 2017. (The inflation-adjusted price is about 560 million dollars today.) This is the highest known price ever paid for a painting. Why was this five-hundred-year-old portrait of Jesus dressed in blue Renaissance attire so valuable? The answer is simple. Leonardo da Vinci painted it. The creator gives value to the creation. You or I could train for years and paint the same exact image, but it wouldn’t have that value because we’re not da Vinci.

So it is with you. God is your maker. The most significant being in the universe has stamped you with His image and likeness (Gen 1:27). This means that regardless of how you feel about yourself or what others say about you, you’re a work of art completed by the master. The same one who designed and produced oak trees, sunsets, and constellations made us as well. This value is innate and enduring. Even after the fall of humanity into sin, we still bear God’s image (Gen 9:6). Thus, you should love yourself because you’re God’s creation.

Why Love Yourself #2: You’re Awesome

A second reason to love yourself is that God did an amazing job making you. Even prior to modern science, the ancients recognized that humans were “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14). An easy way to illustrate this truth is to compare you to a worm.

Worms do a lot. They aerate the soil, enabling air to circulate. Their little tunnels also allow for water infiltration, which reduces runoff and erosion. They fertilize and mix up the layers of soil. They also assist in breaking down dead plants and animals. So, worms are pretty great. Still, they don’t compare to humans.

Your lifespan is more than ten times as long. On a bad day, you can move way faster than the worm who moves at a mere 0.006 mph. You’re better at digesting nutrients than worms. You can aerate soil way better than a worm—even with just a shovel or pitchfork (forget about using a tractor). Unlike worms, you can move your arms, legs, head, toes, fingers, and eyelids. There’s no question that you’re way better than a worm.

Why bring up a worm? Why make such an obvious point? Because some people think of themselves as worms. You’re not a worm. You’re a human being—a creature at the very pinnacle of God’s creation. Even if you have disabilities, which we tend to collect with time, you’re still an amazing creature capable of so much more than all other living things.

Why Love Yourself #3: God Loves You

This last point is more personal. Why should you love yourself? God loves you. Consider these clear statements about God’s love.

1 John 4:9-10. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Romans 5:6-8. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners, Christ died for us.

Even with all your flaws, failings, and faults, God loves you. He knows all the bad things you’ve ever done, and still, He loves you. What’s more, His love is no mere emotion, but something expressed in action. He sent His only Son to die for your sins.

This supremely demonstrates His love for you.

He’s already paid a huge price—just like that Saudi Arabian who bought the da Vinci painting. You have value; you are loveable; God wants you. The only question is whether or not you will respond.

How to Love Yourself #1: Focus on Others

Now that we’ve looked at the reasons why you should love yourself, let’s think through how to do that. My first point is paradoxical. It seems obvious that focusing on yourself and doing what you can to show yourself love would be the best way to love yourself well. However, when we focus on ourselves alone, we find ourselves slipping off the narrow path into one of two ditches.

On the one side is arrogance. You start to love yourself in an unhealthy way, minimizing your failures and magnifying your successes. You begin to think you’re better than everyone else and lose touch with reality. On the other side is self-loathing. You think you’re no good. You magnify your failures and minimize your successes. You think you’re worse than everyone else and lose touch with reality. Self-worship and self-loathing are two sides of the same coin—self focus.

The way God designed you is to love Him and others. This is the great key to loving yourself. You love yourself by loving God and loving others. Turning your focus outside yourself is best not only for God and other people but also for you.

How to Love Yourself #2: Self Care

Still, you shouldn’t ignore yourself. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul made the observation that generally people don’t hate their own flesh, instead they nourish and tenderly care for themselves (Eph 5:29). You should be concerned about your own wellbeing. Although our focus should not be on ourselves but on God and others, we still need basic self-care to function well.

Many of us are overworked, overstressed, and overcommitted. If you are chronically exhausted, overeating, emotionally numb,
unmotivated, irritable, and lacking in enthusiasm, you are probably burned out. What I mean by “burned out” is that you feel chronically overwhelmed, like you’re unable to catch up on the demands of life. If this is you, you must make changes to your daily and weekly routines. Continuing in burn-out month after month, year after year, will result in significant physical and mental health problems, including a weakened immune system, gastrointestinal issues, higher blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment. God didn’t design you to be a machine. We all need balance.

On the opposite side, those who are spiritually, mentally, physically, financially, and relationally healthy put themselves in a better position to love others. Like a well-maintained car, someone who takes care of the basics is able to function well most of the time. Healthy people are more resilient, handle challenges better, and more easily connect with others.

If you’re feeling burned out, you’re probably neglecting one or more self-care practices. Although I can’t go into detail here, let’s at least consider the basic practices you need to stay healthy.

Self-Care Practices

1. Spend time with God daily
2. Exercise regularly (outside if possible)
3. Sleep enough
4. Eat nutritious food
5. Build margin into your day
6. Take a day off work each week
7. Clean your home at least weekly
8. Get your annual physical
9. Spend less than you make
10. Invest in your relationships
11. Find ways to serve others
12. Go on vacation each year

How are you doing on these? Are you doing all twelve? Do you have others to add? Are you only at six out of twelve? It may be time to make some changes.

Unfortunately, many of us too easily get fooled by false self-care like binge-watching shows and movies, consuming pornography, spending hours watching vertical videos, playing video games, buying stuff we don’t need, and scrolling on social media for hours. These kinds of practices are counterfeits. They promise to restore you, but they do not refresh your soul. Instead, they add to your stress, guilt, and feelings of inadequacy.

Rather than behaviors that rob you of your time and peace and joy, engage in wholesome activities, especially those that can be done with others. Try making something, do something outside, catch up with an old friend, write, chop some wood, go to a Bible study, or meditate on Scripture. Figure out what works for you.

Conclusion

You’re a work of God’s creative art. You bear His image. You’re awesome. And, most of all, you’re loveable. We know this because God loves you. So, love yourself well. How do you love yourself well? You do it by loving God, loving other people, and taking care of yourself. Get rid of unnecessary stress, get healthy, and get loving.