'LOVE YOURSELF"

“And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). This statement made by our Lord was a partial answer to the question, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” The Savior had first replied “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:25-37). The thought of ‘loving oneself’ might seem to be rather selfish and arrogant; however, Jesus has taught us to love others in the manner we love ourselves. The apostle Paul wrote, “In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself” (Ephesians 5:28). But, the question might be raised as to why a person should love himself/herself. We learn in Genesis 1:27 we learn, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” While man’s physical body was formed of the dust of the earth, that part of man that pertains to his spirit, mind and soul, was made in the likeness of his creator. Man is not a product of a mere accident or by chance. The Great, August God, the Creator of heaven and earth was both the Designer and the Maker of man. Such knowledge caused the Psalmist to declare: “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well: (Psalms 139:14). Furthermore, God loved us and demonstrated that love by the giving of his only Son for our sins (John 3:16,17). “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone”. (Hebrews 2:9). Since God has made us and loved us, surely we ought to love ourselves. We can have self-respect without conceit; concern for self without selfishness; and love for self that is void of vanity. We should not be possessed with an inferiority complex or an attitude of “I’m not worth anything.” Jesus taught that the worth of one soul is more than the whole world (Matthew 16:26). Each one is indeed important in the sight of the Almighty God. True happiness in this life comes from accepting ourselves as God has made us; and, in responding to the grace and love of the Heavenly Father by giving ourselves totally to His Son, Jesus Christ.

THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS

The “angel of the Lord” declared to Joseph “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The apostle Peter, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit declared, “Nor is there salvation any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must b e saved” (Acts 4:12). There is a beautiful hymn entitled “There’s Something About That Name” with these meaningful lyrics: “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There’s just something about that name. Master, Savior, Jesus like the fragrance after the rain; Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Let all Heaven and earth proclaim, Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, But there’s something about that name.” In our secular society we often speak of politicians and especially do we mention the names of great athletes. Our children learn the names of entertainers, television celebrities and movie stars; however, it is on rare occasions that you hear the precious name of Jesus. There is a possibility that we might be classified as being extremist if we did. We should not be hesitant to speak of Jesus because He gave His life for us on Calvary so we could be saved. The apostle Paul wrote how the Heavenly Father exalted His Son as found in Philippians 2:9-11): “ God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Christian parents are to teach their children of Jesus. One of the first songs they often learn to sing is ‘Jesus Loves Me’. If children are taught to speak the name of Jesus they will not be embarrassed to mention His precious name to others as they mature to adulthood. Please observed the truthfulness found in the following: “Before your child has come to seven, teach him well the Way to heaven! Better still the truth will thrive, if he knows it when he Is five! Better yet, if at your knee he learns it when he is only Three! Best of all is when you have begun to teach of Jesus Before he is one!”