2 Timothy 3: 3-5
3 But know this, that in the last days [a]perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, [b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.
One of the messages we keep hearing in this generation is that of loving self. Yes, we ought to love ourselves and I believe that is inborn for even Jesus told us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. What is concerning is this self-love that goes overboard this is the kind that makes one think that they are the center of the universe. Everything is about them and it seems like the world revolves around them. This becomes the foundation for all the other evil character traits described in our main scripture.
Self-lovers come first in their own eyes and then God will come in second. They are not willing to sacrifice for anything or anyone unless self is elevated and will benefit from it.
Paul tells us that we should consider others as better than self, he also tells us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to.
This ungodly kind of self-love leads to the love of money because everything is about you. We live in a generation today where the avenues and opportunities to make money are unbelievable. The “prosperity gospel” as many call it today has led many astray. The focus on more and more and more for the sake of having more and looking better than others in the guise of being blessed has led many astray and they have fallen off from the faith.
Money in itself is just a tool but when we love it then it becomes the root of all evil (1Timothy 6:10)
Remember the rich young ruler who came to Jesus?
Matthew 19:21-22
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and [a]mammon.
With all the materialism we see today and the flashy kind of lifestyle many desire to be living, truly what Paul wrote to Timothy about has become the reality we live in today.
Reflections
In relation to loving your neighbor as yourself, what does loving yourself mean to you?
How do you maintain a proper balance when it comes to loving self?
On matters money, do you struggle to walk in obedience to God’s commands?
