"Love is Blind." I truly believe this. But not in reference to love for others. Rather, in reference to love for one's self. When we love ourselves more than other people, we are partially or entirely blinded to our own sin and need for change. We are also blinded to the good things in those with whom we participate in relationships. We turn into unthankful people. We want the good life at little or no cost to ourselves. Work for other people without expectation for return turns into a miserable, half-hearted, boring chore. Let the reader know that expectation for return could be more than money or a returned favor. Sometimes we are satisfied with the return of appreciation, enhanced status (in their mind or just our own), self-fulfillment in some sort of personal merit system, or the knowledge that they feel that they owe us. Sometimes these things are enough to bring the self-lover enough satisfaction to make the work worth it. But when the self-lover has to work without receiving any sort of satisfaction in return, they are miserable. Like a child who has to do the dishes or take out the trash without getting an allowance or extra t.v. time. Only the older we get, our expectations generally get more complicated and obscure. But one thing that is not so complicated is that the person who rarely experiences thankfulness or appreciation for others can conclude that they love themselves more than they love others. Do you appreciate your wife/husband? And not just in your head. Does your heart sing because of their goodnes toward you? Does your heart sing because of God' goodness toward you (keep in mind that our relationships are not solely earthly. The most important relationship to keep in mind is a heavenly one)? Thankfulness and appreciation are not solely mental. The mind acknowledges the kindness, and the heart appreciates it. And heart-felt reactions DO come with emotions. It's the way we are made. Not a charismatic kind that makes us speak in tongues, but something that connects our hearts, or comes from that connection, in agape and phileo love. This is something that opens our eyes to God's intent for our relationships. And this is more fully known when we love others as we love ourselves. It is not known when we love ourselves more than we love others, because this love is blind and cannot fully appreciate the good things around us every day.