If God’s will is love, what does it mean to love yourself without sliding into narcissism—or the opposite extreme of self-neglect and self-hatred? Continuing the “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” conversation, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks bring needed nuance: self-love isn’t self-worship, and self-denial isn’t automatically virtue.

They unpack why “harder” is not inherently “better,” why suffering is only meaningful when ordered to a higher purpose (love), and how true humility is simply honesty—being clear about what you’re good at and what you’re not. The episode reframes self-care as stewardship of your humanity: caring for yourself with the same respect and consistency you’d give a loved one (or even your pet), so you can show up with more freedom, joy, and capacity to serve.

Key Ideas

Ordered self-love avoids two traps: narcissism (self as god) and self-disregard (treating God’s creation as worthless).

The Christian goal isn’t “maximum suffering”; virtue often makes the good easier, more spontaneous, and more joyful over time.

Sacrifice matters—but only when it’s for a higher purpose (love of God and neighbor), not as an identity or performance.

Humility is honesty: “I’m good at X” isn’t pride, and “I’m bad at Y” isn’t self-hatred—it’s reality.

Grow the gifts you actually have, and let that growth expand your ability to love and serve others more effectively.

Links & References (official/source only)

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson (official site):
https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/

CliftonStrengths (Gallup) overview:
https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/home.aspx

Immanuel Kant (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry):
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant/

CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend.
Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com
.

Tags (comma-separated)

Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, love, self love, ordered self love, narcissism, self care, stewardship, humility, virtue, holiness, Lent, fasting, suffering, sacrifice, purpose, love and limits, joy, gratitude, human nature, Immanuel Kant, moral formation, Jordan Peterson, treat yourself like someone worth caring for, CliftonStrengths, Gallup StrengthsFinder, gifts and talents, discernment, prudence, growth mindset, service, charity, family leadership, fatherhood, YouTube podcast, subscribe on YouTube, algorithms