Agent B and Lil Sis have brought up important points concerning the last post and it's brought me to further reflexion, especially in light of a magazine's recommendations that I just read. First of all, I agree with Lil Sis that one has to take care of self to ensure one's health in order to be able to take care of others. There are some who hate themselves or lead very unhealthy lifestyles. The Lover says to love others as we love ourselves (Mk12:31). Loving self is a natural thing, hating self is a twisted trap of the fowler to ruin many lives. Likewise an unhealthy parent can be detrimental to others in the present and future. Sometimes loving others entails taking care of one's health. That being said, I only find it all too natural to not only take care of myself, but to put myself first above others: biggest portion of things I like, wanting my time when others need me, being selfish in so many ways.
It seems to me that our society perpetuates this self indulgence, whereas the lover calls us to sacrifice self for others (see John 15:13, Rom.12:1-2). The magazine I mentioned boldly states: "it's important to indulge in activities that are just for you [...] you can't take care of others if you don't take care of yourself first [...] 8 ways to treat yourself: get a hot stone massage, buy yourself flowers, keep a container of your favorite ice cream in the freezer, order in, take a candlelit bubble bath, treat yourself and a friend to a concert, have your palms read, buy yourself jewellery".I find it disgusting and a lie. If we are always taking care of ourself first, we will never find time for others. Their 8 ways of treating self smack of materialism and self gratification. Only one suggestion even included someone else and I think that was as much as a self comfort (to ward off loneliness) as it was to be kind to another. To top it off, these ideas were framed in the light of valentines, what ever happened to loving others?
What do you think? Are there scriptures telling us to take care of ourselves? How would the lover frame these ideas?
2 comments:
it seems to me that the most loving thing we can do is follow the lover...
he loves us even more than we love ourselves and knows how to treat us and teaches us how to find life and hold on to it.
trouble is, we find ourselves pursuing religion and killing ourselves in the process...
life if found in him, not in the religion that claims to be founded on and by him...
peace
This is what I have found too. The Lover gives us rest, rejuvenation, and times of delight throughout time of intense ministry. He knows what we can bear and if we seek His kingdom first, we also reap the benefits of his tender care.
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