Home
>
Religion
>
The Greatest Love and Self-image

The Greatest Love and Self-image

The Greek language had three words for "Love" First there was "eros," from which we get "erotic.. This was, of course a purely selfish love. Then there was "Phileo" (Philadelphia), or "brotherly love" This is the love of one family member for another. But the Bible added a new one--"agape" "Agape is a giving love, entirely unselfish.

By way of both illustration and practical application, let me quote the following note from Mary Ellen Grisham, publisher of "Eternal Link:"
After counseling young couples for years, a minister I know suggested that "love is what you do." Young couples frequently have adjustments to make to the differences in romantic courtship and the realities of day-to-day living with the rigorous requirements of work, children, house and yard keeping, and all the many tasks required to maintain a good home and marriage.

Young wives in particular, experiencing the stress of many new responsibilities, worried that their feelings for their husbands were not always so tender and romantic as they had been during dating. Even with a basis of sincere love, rushed schedules and economic necessities dimmed the glamour of marriage.

With the advice that "love is what you do," the women could concentrate less on romantic feelings and more on positive doing--showing their love in practical and effective ways. The active elements of good will and faith helped the marriages to retain the "zip and spice" of a well-balanced interaction in the homes--what old-time couples used to call "give and take."

That selfless love called agape that causes each of us to focus on the needs of others with no thought of return for ourselves is a high ideal of Christian love. While it takes all kinds of love and loving to make a good home and marriage, the common element of "what you do" runs through all the forms that love takes. From romantic love to brotherly and family love, the outer evidence shows in "what you do."

This last Greek word, agape, is the word used to describe the love God has for us. As the song' "The Love of God" says:

O love of God, how rich, how pure,
How measureless and strong
It shall forevermore endure
The saints and angels' song

And were with ink the oceans filled
And were the skies of parchment made
And every blade of grass a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
To write the love
of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky.

We are of great value both because of our creation and also because of the price paid for our redemption. There is an old story which illustrates this perfectly.
A Young boy made a beautiful toy sailboat and took it to a lake to sail, but a gust of wind blew the boat out into the lake. The boat was lost. Several weeks later, the boy saw his sailboat in the window of a toy store. When he asked for his boat, the store owner said, "I own the sailboat now. If you want it you will have to buy it back."

The boy sold all he had to buy back his boat. After paying the store owner, the boy took his boat to his heart and said, "Little boat, you are twice mine, I made you, and now I brought you." Like that little boat, we are twice the Lord's - He made us, and Christ bought us back by paying the price for our sin with his own blood. It is the desire of my heart that you would know how great God's love is for you, and that you would receive His unspeakable gift by asking Him to be your Savior and Lord.

The Bible says in Romans 5:8 that "God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." And in John 3:16, Jesus says "for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes on Him might not perish but have everlasting life." That's life which begins here and now, and is also what He referred to in the 10th chapter of John as "life more abundant." Once we accept God's great gift of salvation through His Son, He accepts us and we become His dear children (John 1:12). That should do something for the old self image. Think of it--to be a son of the Most High God. And this is where the road to real success begins. (To find out more, write me at:inspirasucestips@aol.com with the word "life" in the subject.)

But it doesn't mean that our self image will then automatically be right or that non-Christians cannot have a decent self-image. Other steps in developing a proper self image are as follows:

2) Understand the source of your self-image The image you have today exists because of the experiences of the past. The experiences of the past have not made you the way you are, but have made you believe you are the way you are and it is the believing that made you indeed the way you are. (By 14 years old most of us have a well developed sense of inferiority.

3) Believe your self image can be changed. You are not locked in.

4) Decide what kind of person you want to be and write it down. Here are 3 ways to decide:
a)Observe and emulate the characteristics of people
you admire. Observe and avoid characteristics that
are not attractive to you.
b)Look at the virtues of great people of the past
and make those characteristics part of your life.
c)Study the life of Jesus. How did He react in
certain situations? What was His attitude?

5)Write out a description of the kind of person you want to be in present positive statements.

6)Invest time with the person you want to be every day. (Read the description over and over again.)a

7)Be patient with yourself. (You did not become like you are overnight.)

By following these 7 steps we should begin to see a steady improvement in our self image.

Article written by James M. Becher, Bible teacher, author of "OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM, A Novel of Biblical Times," (), and publisher of the bi-weekly Ezine, "Inspirational Success Tips" ()

In The News:

ABC News
Editorial | Health and religion
Louisville Courier-Journal
The Obama administration's decision to require all employers, including religious-affiliated ones, to offer employees free insurance coverage for contraceptives and sterilizations is under fire from the Roman Catholic Church.
Contraception mandate outrages religious groupsThe Seattle Times
Freedom of religion ignored in federal health plan mandatesThe Turlock Journal
Health care reform policy sparks outcry by someRochester Democrat and Chronicle
NPR
all 576 news articles »

Gingrich raps New York's Bloomberg on religion issue
Chicago Tribune
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich inserted himself into the long-running controversy about whether religious groups should be allowed to hold services in New York City public schools, and accused Mayor Michael ...

and more »

USA TODAY
Muslims to NY attorney general: Investigate NYPD
Wall Street Journal
"Just the fact of knowing there is someone out there trying to listen to my conversations that can turn me into some kind of criminal, which I'm not, and exploiting my religion, it hurts," said Sondos Alsilwi, an 18-year-old history major at City ...
NYPD targeted ShiitesAlbany Times Union

all 776 news articles »

USA TODAY
Politics & religion: Does Mormon affiliation matter?
Jackson Clarion Ledger
As a Mormon, Romney has brought religion to the forefront in much the same way John F. Kennedy did as a Catholic. / Joe Raedle/Getty Images The Pew Forum on Religion & Public life recently released a survey examining Mormons in America.
Romney's tithing is common among Mormons, but giving is at a low for other ...NewsOK.com
Mormon Numbers Not Adding UpReligion Dispatches
Will Mormons' racial history be a problem for Mitt Romney?USA TODAY
Post-Bulletin -Deseret News -Media Research Center
all 169 news articles »

Does religion have political power?
NewsOK.com
29), John Loghry was quoted as saying, â€œWhen religion gets political power, we suddenly face discrimination, we lose opportunities to thrive unless we are willing to pretend that we agree with the official religion; we find our children's thinking ...

and more »

Religion Today: Feb. 4
Journal Times
Religion Today is a listing of special events held at Racine County churches and is published every Saturday in Faith & Community. Notices of regularly scheduled services and sermon topics are not used. Announcements must arrive by noon Wednesday to be ...

and more »

Va. House approves bill allowing private adoption agencies to discriminate ...
Washington Post
Legislation that would allow private adoption agencies to deny placements that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, including opposition to homosexuality, sailed through the Virginia House of Delegates without debate Friday.

and more »

Religion Bulletin; Feb. 4
BlueRidgeNow.com
Sponsored by United Religions Initiative of Henderson County. Brothers' Sake will be guest singers at the First Sunday Night Singing at 6 pm Sunday at In Jesus Name Church, 2934 Sugarloaf Mountain Road, Hendersonville. Info: 828-685-3313.

and more »

Palm Beach Post (blog)
Is Obama pandering on religion?
Palm Beach Post (blog)
by Opinion Staff Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, President Obama said his governmental policies were, in many cases, the result of his religious faith. President Obama, with First Lady Michelle Obama, acknowledges applause after ...
Blending politics and religion, Obama says his policies are an extension of ...Washington Post
Obama: Policies are extension of my faithCBS News
Obama says his policies are extension of his faithBoston.com
Reuters -msnbc.com
all 731 news articles »

Toledo Blade
Religion briefs for Feb. 4
Canton Repository
By Anonymous CANTON The Aultman Heart Center is partnering with King Apostolic Church and the Stark County NAACP to present â€œWhat is the Face of Heart Disease?â€ from 11 am to 1 pm today at the church at 1004 Fourth St. NE Adene Keller, ...
Religion - Cumberland County Area Services and EventsThe Bridgeton News - NJ.com
Religion Calendar for the Erie areaGoErie.com
RELIGION BRIEFS, FEB. 4Post-Tribune

all 21 news articles »

Google News