What one thinks of himself is a central factor in his well-being. Genuine self-respect is not based on psychology. It's more than just a positive approach to life. It rests on the Science of God and man expressed. It deals with the root concepts of identity, purpose, basic nature, the reason for being. How can we more fully acknowledge the divine nature expressed in man and see this manifest as self-respect? And how does this quality defend us against the destructive tendencies of mortal mind?
True self-respect is based on the recognition that man is the child of God. When we realize that there is one Mind, God, good, and that man—meaning our own true self—is the image and likeness of God, what can we entertain about ourselves that isn't Godlike? Man, in Mrs. Eddy's words, is "that which has not a single quality underived from Deity." Science and Health, p. 475 Obviously, the right idea of manhood and womanhood calls for self-respect, and this is a bulwark of defense against the wiles of the devil.
On the other hand, self-pity is one of the worst forms of malpractice. Self-pity is inherent in mortal mind. It is evil's attempt to debase the individual and lead him to destruction. Christ Jesus called this false mind "a murderer from the beginning." John 8:44 Anything that would encourage one to indulge in self-pity is the devil in disguise. Such a state of thought attracts error. It leaves the door open to false suggestion, imposition, suffering, and discord.
