Self Love

(Proverbs 19:8 KJV)  He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

Most translations have “wisdom” (3820) here.  That seems so wrong to me.  It is a very common word used 595 times in the Old Testament.  In the KJV it is only translated “wisdom” six times and all of those are in the so called Wisdom Literature.  By far the most common translation is “heart”.  It refers to the inner man.  It is not translated “soul” in either the KJV or NASB. 

A certain level of self-esteem has its place.  It begins in the “wisdom”, heart or inner man.  Keep in the front of your mind the qualifiers though.  I said “certain level”.  There is a point where the self-centered carnal nature runs wild.  There is also a point where you must believe in your worth before God.  That is the basis of the verse Jesus quoted,

(Leviticus 19:18 KJV)  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

So?  If you can’t care about yourself then you can’t care about others.  It is part of the new heart that God wants to give you.