"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength … and love your neighbour as [you love] yourself" (Mk 12:30-31). "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (Jn 13:34).

In the NT the greatest commandments are all about loving – and all about the four objects of that love – God, our neighbour, ourselves and our fellow believers. In order to live victoriously over the evil one, it is absolutely essential to be obedient in all cases. Sadly, I have never loved myself. If asked how I feel about myself the first word that always springs to mind is "rubbish". I have unwittingly believed it somehow to be the right thing to do – even a sign of humility – to have a very low opinion of myself. But, I can see now, that in doing this I have partnered with the evil one and actually opposed the will of God as well as dishonouring Him.

What does the Bible call each and every child of God? Here are some examples:

• The apple of God's eye (Zch 2:8)

• His very own treasured possession (Dt 7:6; 1Pt 2:9)

• His masterpiece and His poem (Eph 2:10)

• One of His chosen people; one of His royal priests (1Pt 2:9) 

When I refer to myself as rubbish, of no value, as a miserable failure, etc., I am saying that about his treasured possession. When I judge myself, beat myself up and put myself down, I am doing that to his dearly beloved child.

What does God say directly to each of His children?

• Your names are "engraved on the palms of my hands" (Isa 49:15)

• "You are precious and honoured in my sight and I love you" (Isa 43:1-4)

• You are my temple where I dwell (1Cor 6:19)

• You are my "fellow workers" (1Cor 3:9)

• My love for you "surpasses knowledge" and all "comprehension" (Eph 3:17-19)

• You were worth dying for as if you had been the only one in need (Rm 5:8)

• Rescuing you has brought Us (The Trinity) eternal joy (Heb 12:2)

• "A bruised reed [Jesus] will not break, nor a smouldering wick snuff out" (Mt 12:20)

• "The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust" (Ps 103:13-14)

What should loving ourselves in a godly and healthy manner look like? The way Jesus loves us; that is, unconditionally and with patience, compassion, empathy, kindness, tender mercy, sympathy, understanding, friendship, forbearance and tolerance; yet also with faithful discipline; never unhelpful indulgence.

Are there serious negative consequences to our not loving ourselves? There certainly are, as I have discovered for myself. They all emanate from the evil one and serve his cause, not that of the Gospel. In my next "blog" I will share my own testimony regarding all this.