Proverbs 19:8. Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.
Love of self is not a bad thing. In fact, it is assumed all through the scriptures. The law’s command to love your neighbor as you love yourself is radical, not because we love ourselves, but because we love our neighbor the same way. Even in the New Testament, Paul assumes that “no man ever hated his own body.” It is this love of self that guides love for others.
So, yes, love yourself. But how?
By getting sense.
The word sense here is the word “heart.” But why would the word heart be translated as sense, or wisdom? Why would it be paralleled with the word understanding? Aren’t those two totally different things?
Not really. In fact, using the word heart for wisdom reminds us once again that we are never talking about mere intellectual knowledge or fact finding in this book. We are talking about wisdom as both truth and love. Knowledge and desire. Understanding and application. Logic and longing.
The person who loves their own soul, the person who loves their life as a gift from God, will guard and build up their heart, their affections, their longings for the good. This doesn’t just naturally happen without grace-driven effort on our part. We must train our hearts to love what God loves. We must train our hearts to discover good. The good that only comes from experiencing God, and trusting the reward that comes with faith in him. The reward of his fullness imputed to us in Christ.
Notice we don’t love our own soul by narcissistic introspection, or by seeking selfish gain. The world says love yourself by pursuing everything your heart desires. God says love yourself by pursuing everything God desires with your whole heart. The best way to love yourself, your own soul, is to seek the wisdom of God whole-heartedly. The wisdom that IS Christ.
In Christ, we are offered God’s good life beyond measure. The good life of the fullness of Jesus’s love and wisdom, his self-sacrificing love for others. Do you want to love yourself? Love others. Do you want to find your best self? Seek Christ not yourself. Do you want to live the higher life? Then seek the wisdom of the cross that takes you lower and lower.
You: Do you love yourself? Why is it a good thing to love ourselves?
You in Christ: How does your union with Christ allow you to pursue God’s wisdom from the heart?
Christ in you: How can you pursue Chris with your heart today and not just your intellect?
Pray: Father, to know you is to know good, and to know Jesus is to know Good personally. Help me to seek an understanding of you with my heart’s desire. Amen.
To Live is Christ 