“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV)
Self-denial conjures up in our minds all sorts of groveling and self-hatred. We imagine that it most certainly means rejection of our individuality and will probably lead to various forms of self-mortification.
On the contrary, Jesus called us to self-denial without self-hatred. Self-denial is imply a way of coming to understand that we do not have to have our own way. Our happiness is not dependent upon getting what we want…
Self-denial is not the same thing as self-contempt. Self-contempt claims that we have no worth, and even if we did have worth we should reject it. Self-denial declares that we are of infinite worth and shows us how to realize it. Self-contempt denies the goodness of the creation; self-denial affirms that it was indeed good. Jesus made the ability to love ourselves the prerequisite for our reaching out to others. (Matthew 22:39)
-- Richard J. Foster in “Celebration of Discipline”
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