Article June 24, 1991 Issue

We can love spiritual selfhood

There's nothing selfish about discovering and valuing spiritual individuality.

Waltraud Heidecke

[Original in German]

Not long ago, while a Christian Scientist friend and I were talking about prayer and spiritual progress, he asked me, "Have you loved yourself yet today?" At first I was shocked. I thought, "What a question! If I'm concerned with loving myself, won't that tend to make me arrogant and self-centered? Wouldn't it lead me away from spirituality? How can he even ask such a question?"

After all, it seemed to me that one of the main points of Christianity was to focus less on personal, selfish interests and to learn to love others more. I thought of the Bible's command to "love thy neighbour as thyself" and of how strongly Christ Jesus had emphasized this point in his teachings.

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