“To acquire wisdom is to love yourself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.”
– Proverbs 19:8
Self-care seems to be our culture’s favorite word in these mid-20’s. Some self-care is good stewardship of your body, mind, and energy. Other self-care is simply an excuse for self-indulgence that many can’t actually afford. What this proverb describes, however, is good biblical self-care! If you want to care well for yourself, get wisdom! If you love yourself, get wisdom!
What is wisdom? It’s knowing how to live well in a world governed by an all-knowing, all-wise, all-powerful God. Wisdom is embracing those practices, habits, and character qualities that tend to result in a godly, honorable, respectable, and successful life in God’s world. Because this world is a fallen world, wisdom doesn’t guarantee every little thing will work out perfectly. However, wisdom consistently produces satisfaction, peace, prosperity, joy, and (most importantly) God’s favor.
How do you acquire this kind of wisdom? First and foremost by regularly reading and carefully thinking about the Bible. It’s God’s Word for you and contains many applications for your life. How to live, how to love, how to work, how to play, how to interact with others, how to interact with God. It addresses right priorities, right attitudes, and right words. As you read Scripture and slow down enough to let the Holy Spirit point out areas where you need to change, you acquire wisdom. You become like Jesus. That’s real self-love and self-care! That’s a blessing that will serve you well in every circumstance in life, whether pleasant or unpleasant. #FollowJesus