God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)
Self-love vitiates all relationships. Diotrephes (3 John 9-10) slandered (the Apostle) John, cold-shouldered the missionaries and excommunicated loyal believers – all because he loved himself and wanted to have pre-eminence. Personal vanity still lies at the root of most dissensions in every local church today.