1) The document discusses the importance of loving oneself before being able to truly love others. It argues that one must ask themselves if they truly love who they are in order to start loving themselves. 2) It then draws on a Bible passage about loving God and your neighbor as yourself, noting that you must love yourself first before being able to love others. 3) The author shares their personal experience with struggling with self-love as a child due to racism but finding self-acceptance through their faith in God. They now work to spread love to others.

1. We can put a title:
‘LOVE’ is the most sweetest and powerful word in our life.
In recent times many people, celebrating Valentine’s Day, have expressed their
love for someone in their life. We talk about love – it is consists of only 4 words
but the meaning is very significant, whomwe love, how we love and why we love.
There is a question that comes to mind regarding love. It is possible that people
are expressing love to someone else; but do not know how we really love to
another person because they do not love themselves? It is very important to
realize that we must love ourselves first.
Mark 12:31 –And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
The word ‘love’ in the preceding passage is the Greek word “agapaö.” It means
that to love in a social or decent sense. We should understand that each one
individual has a moral obligation to love yourself first before trying to love your
neighbor (someone else) as the passage states “Thou shalt love thy neighbor AS
THYSELF.” For that reason, it is significantto love thyself first, so you can love your
neighbor.
To commence the process of knowing for certain that you love yourself look in
the mirror and ask yourself, “Do I love me for who I am, how I am created? Do I
love me for me?”Do I really truly love me?” While looking in the mirror, talk to
yourself think about the answer, then give an honest answer to the questions to
discover if you truly love yourself. Be serious about this, knowing deep within
whether you believe that you love yourself because you are very unique and
totally special. You cannot love yourself based on someone else’s opinion about
you. You should not wait for someone to confirm you in order for you to love
yourself.
Everyone needs more love in the world. Love is very powerful word in our life.
Who can love himself he can love others. You area wonderfully madeperson. You
are distinctive and extremely valuable. Love yourself, so live in a state of peace
about your life to make a positive difference in this world as you reach out to love
others. This in turn helps our world to be a better place to dwell in.

2. Many people struggle with low self-esteem (your opinion of yourself) for one
reason or another. Several times we listen in what someone else says about us.
Other times we balance ourselves with someone else to determine our self-worth
as an alternative of loving the person who should be number one on your love
list. That number one person is you. Often we replace low self-esteem or deal
with our low self-esteem by trying to love someone or something else to the
extreme. This can sometimes be frustrating for the contributor and receiver
because it is a half way effort due to the fact completeness is missing.
Completeness starts with loving God yourself and then others in that order.
Frequently we develop resentment and hatred for the person we start out trying
to love because we are not receiving the love we give. This includes loving
parents, children, mates, jobs, cars, homes, careers, etc. Often the substitutes do
not love us back which causes deeper feelings of low self-worth -lack of love for
self. So many negative emotions and behaviors result because of the lack of real
love in our lives. Anger, bitterness, fighting one another, retaliation, deceitfulness,
verbal and mental abuse surface in relationships – sometimes remaining for
extended periods of time. Life should not be this way, mainly because life lengths
are very short no matter how long we will live here on earth. While we are
spending time on earth life must be full of love in order to be a great and splendid
life. This can be the state of your life when you begin loving yourself. You will
want to shareyour love everywhereyou go in as many ways as possible so people
in the world who do not have the fundamental basic element of love can
experience it from you.
I am guilty of not fully loving myself when I was adolescent. Early in life in our
family I found myself in a loving family. My mother and father loved me, took care
of me and constantly reminded me of their love for me by speaking it and
showing it by their deeds as well as presenting their love for my eight siblings. My
siblings loved me. They displayed their love for me on a daily basis by playing,
laughing, working with me and cheering me on. I loved them also by reciprocating
the behaviors. However; in spite of this love from my family, during the time I
attended elementary and secondary school there were outside forces that spoke
to me about how different and not so loveable they thought I was at the time.
Words were spoken from other children in my classes and in social settings that
made me feel like I was not as good or as pretty as some of the other children.
This was because I had a few shades darker than other family members and

3. friends who were my acquaintances. I in turn lashed out against others who had a
darker shadeof skin than I did. Itwas a very cruel and ugly cycle of life. I pray that
many of the children who were criticized, degraded, made to feel worthless and
debased have recovered from this inappropriate conduct by creating a rapport
with Christ. Hopefully they are over comers like many Christians I have met down
through the years across continents, countries, states, cities, neighborhoods and
homes. Thankfully I am an over comer too.
This behavior is perpetrated during this moment and age in our societies. Most of
the children are still hurting each other and being hurt by their siblings and fellow
students. Not only are our children scarring friends, acquaintances and strangers,
adults are guilty of these heinous actions too. The ugly sore of lack of love for self
is wreaking havoc in our civilization. Color of the skin is not the only shame many
face today. Body size (height and weight), facial features, social status,
background and ethnicity are some of the factors contributing to low self-esteem
(self-worth/lack of personal love).
During my formative years there was a stigma in our social circles associated with
people who were of darker pigmentation. I found myself feeling bad when were
in gatherings where the, fair complexioned and lighter skinned girls were selected
first by the boys and men in that day. We would be out at a dance, roller skating,
or some other gathering where the males asked the females to be a partner in
order to participate in an activity. I am so glad the days of low self-esteem are
gone from my life. During the early years of my life I did not have a relationship
with Christ; therefore, had no idea of who I should listen to or how to handle
outside forces speaking to me about my life.
BUT NOW how SWEET it is to know Christ and to understand God in all His
glorious. Getting to know Him has been a real blessing for me as I have been
transformed into a new creature. I love my God. He is the first love in my life. I
love me for me with gratefulness to our Father for loving me first, showing me
how to love.

4. Mark 12:30-31 (KJV) 30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the
first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself. There is none another commandment greater than these.”
Since becoming a Christian, a born-again child of God, He has shown me through
His love for me how I can love him first of all with all that is within me. Realizing
that Jesus loved me so much that He died for me makes me more eager to love
God for what He did through Jesus Christ. I have come to know that loving God
empowers me to love myself. He is in me and I am in Him. This makes it so much
easier to realize that He made me in a great fashion. During my later years (my
adult years)of life, it has become apparent to me that I am put jointly by a master
designer. Every part of my life is beautiful because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made. I can say I am a great creation by God.
Psalm139:13-14(KJV)13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me
in my mother's womb.14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully
made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
This next piece relates to every life in this earth realm mainly yours. The Lord God
Almighty protected me when I was in my mother’s womb from the darkness that
was there. He allowed me to come forth at the appointed time to see the light in
the world. Naturally speaking and thinking about this creature (me) God made
stimulates my mind. He made me special as He did everyone reading this blog.
Everybody in this world we are made in a special way. Our body sizes are
awesome because some are tall, medium, or small and we are very different in
our weight – some are heavy, medium and there are lightweight human beings.
No matter what the body size is we should be thankful and love the way we were
so beautifully made. Eyes are unique – some are slanted where the eyeball is
barely visible. Others eyes are round very large sockets that are extremely
stunning. Our lips are very different. If the lips are small, dark brown colored or
very full with pinkish/reddish tint or any variation in between they are lovely no
matter what someone else says or thinks. Cheeks bones vary in that some are

5. high, other cheek bones are lower. Some are closer to the nose than others.
Remember your cheeks are your cheeks which are adorable, to say the least. Our
hands have varying finger lengths and widths. Some of us have six fingers instead
of five fingers (extraordinary). The fingernails have different thicknesses and
shapes. These are unique and lovely. Fingerprints are all distinctive. Everybody
has a fingerprint but not similar to other. They are not alike. God, what a genius
you are, to design such an awesome one of a kind for people all over the world.
Take a look at the knee bones, leg and thigh shape and length. All were designed
unique, especially for you by our Maker. Oh, the nose is a fun part of the body
that is used to smell, in addition, helps to distinguish the way we appear to the
world. Praise God for these and other special body designs. Love what you look
like, how you were designed and where you are in life. You are an incredible
creation.
Now I love me it is so much easier for me to love my neighbor as myself. My
desire is to spread the love of God all over the world. I know so many people are
dealing with the lack of love for self as well as a lack of love from someone else.
Everyone out there in the world, you are special. What I am stating has been said
by many people; nevertheless, someone is being reached today who has not
heard these superb words of truth. Someone is hearing these fantastic words for
the second, third or fourth time. This time registers in your spirit. You receive the
truth today. You are special and made especially for this time and place. Look at
yourself in the mirror or just think about yourself if no mirror is available. Speak
out loudly that you were wonderfully made by the greatest and only Creator of
human beings, God! Give yourself a big hug because you love you for who and
how you are right now. You became a new creature in Christ at the moment you
received Him into your life.
When the love is from the heart the words you speak are full of kindness,
encouragement, inspiration, love, respect, support, admires, and they are
uplifting. Your thoughts are loving thoughts; therefore, you speak lovingly to
people all over the world. When love is in your heart and brain offenses are rare
because you understand people who offend need some of your love. Sisters and
brothers how can you love yourself each and every day. Love people in a special
way.

6. If you have not made a decision for Jesus Christ this is a good time to make a
confession and ask for forgiveness so you too can become a new creature. This is
a starting point for knowing true love of God then yourself so you can love others
around you. When we as a people come to know an actual love then we can truly
love others unconditionally, thus, bringing peace into a world full of hate, turmoil
and violence. Check back soon for more enlightenment.