yes, Jesus loves me.

There seems to be a huge emphasis within the Christian world on loving others the way God loves them.

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

--John 13:34 [NIV]

Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

--1 John 4:11 [NIV]

If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, …love each other. … Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.

--Philippians 2:1-4 [MSG]

But what ever happened to looking out for number one?

How can we adequately love others if we don't first love ourselves?

And how can we adequately love ourselves if we don't first choose to receive that love through the only Perfect Love?

I heard a lyric yesterday that I can't get out of my mind:

I can't love me how You love me.

God's love is the only pure love.

He alone knows how to love us.

He alone knows how to give us worth.

He alone knows how to give us a purpose.

But until we find that love. find that worth. find that purpose,

How can we begin to love others?

All of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory

And I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me.

--John Mark McMillan, How He Loves