A Different Meaning
November 21, 2024
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me."Luke 9:23
Jesus calls for self-denial, not self-hatred. In fact, we are to love ourselves. Not in some vain prideful way, but in a healthy self-love way – knowing and loving our true self. When we love ourselves the right way, we are cherishing and celebrating the person God made us to be. Healthy self-love is loving what God loves in our personalities, not what we’ve made of ourselves. It’s unhealthy to idolize the self, but good to value ourselves as the creation and instruments of God.
So thank God for creating you in His image and for the unique gifts and talents He’s placed in your life. And as you take up your cross and follow Him today, be the person He created you to be. He will use you to make a difference in someone’s life.