The Gift of Self

Although we espouse the ideal of loving other people as an act of sacrifice and selflessness, many actually come to abuse themselves -- in an extreme form of a lack of self-regard for the sake of others. They don't take care of themselves: abusive of health; unreasonable loss of property or resources; and even willing to "go to hell" as long as their loved ones go to heaven. 

To find the right motivation in loving one's self is to contemplate on how God loves us, as reference. A response to this love is to honor it by being grateful and responsible stewards of our bodies, minds, and souls. From a certain viewpoint, a self-sacrificing love for others---not the twisted notion--- is also a form of loving self; for in agape we experience profound joy. 

We tend to think man is hopelessly pleasure-centered. The truth is, when we uncover our dignity as God's children, we really are service-centered; honoring as well the gift of one's self, the gift of life from the creative love of God.