What Does it Mean to Hate Yourself?

Luke 14:26
    When speaking about priorities, Luke 14:26-28 makes a Christian’s priorities clear. Jesus first, then everything else. Many struggle with not only the practice of this, but the command that Jesus gives. “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot by My disciple.” I thought the greatest commandment was love (1 Cor. 13:13)?  I thought the entire Law and the Prophets was summed up in “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ … ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:37-40). Obviously, Jesus doesn’t mean to loath, despise, or wish injury against when he uses the word hate in Luke 14:26. 1) Because the Bible doesn’t contradict itself. 2) Because Jesus CAN’T contradict himself (Heb. 4:15-16). First, when looking at Matt. 10:37 we see Matthew’s account of this situation saying, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Jesus is not promoting a distain for anyone when making either of these statements. The Koine Greek word that is translated as “hate,” misei (μισεί), in the context means to “loves less than me.” We must love everyone and everything less than Jesus. Paul tells the church in Galatia this is because the Spirit is against the flesh, and the flesh against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). Also, Jesus says that it is impossible to serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). You can not serve Jesus properly, if He is not the first and foremost concern in your life (Matt. 6:33). This does not mean we can leave the responsibilities of our families (Matt. 15:4-6; 1 Tim. 5:8) or of daily work (2 Thess. 3:10-13). Rather, we are to do everything for the Lord and take every platform we have to promote Him (Col. 3:23). I love you all!
In His service,
Steven Hugley