Soul Speak #42 (Nov 11/20) The Acronym J.O.Y. - Jesus first, others next and You last. Thoughts... 🤔

#jesusfirst #jesusfirstviral #backwards
Have you ever heard of the acronym J.O.Y. ? As Christians it was meant to remind us to think of Jesus first, then others, then yourself.

I want to share some thoughts about this, and how I view this mentality today, after receiving some fresh insights of what it means to "love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength".
I don't know about you, but for most of my life as a Christian I would follow the J.O.Y outline, to the point of neglecting "me" completely as far as "self love" is concerned.
I was so focused on "loving Jesus first" that I did not invest any love into myself and consequently created a vacuum on the inside.
Here is what I realised this morning on my walk... trying to "love God first" from a vacuum or deficit of "self love" is like trying to pour oil from an empty container. We are in fact trying to give God something from an empty and neglected place.
So, I am going to be so brave and actually state that in order to love God from a "full" (whole/all) place inside of you, you need to FIRST love YOURSELF "with all your heart, soul, mind and strength". As YOU become a "complete" (whole/saved) being, only THEN can you truly love God in "fullness".
Everything we have been taught and learned is indeed BACKWARDS... and UPSIDE DOWN... and it all needs reversing. Y.O.J is the correct way, for God to get the FULLNESS! Love your neighbour and God, as you love yourself. And when you begin living from a "full" state of "salvation" (wholeness) everybody will be enriched with abundant life. Then YOU will find yourself saying (just as Jesus did)... "I have come to give you Life" ... this is the result of living from a "full" place flowing outward.