A blessing and a curse. Serena Williams’ celebrity status has been both… at least in the eyes of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Let’s go back to the 2009 US Open. Up against Kim Clijsters in the semifinals, Serena allegedly threatened a lineswoman after going down a match point when a ruling went against her. How did the local church elders respond when Serena came back home after her loss? Per The Washington Post, they gave her a “dressing down.” But more often than not, the former tennis player’s celebrity has been a blessing.

‘It’s how you use your influence that really matters.’ Isn’t that what they say? Well, in a sit-down with The Post, Serena’s half-sister Isha Price revealed that the former World No. 1’s fame opened doors (literally) that may not have been possible earlier, that the Williams sisters’ influence gave them access that other Jehovah’s Witnesses may not get. That’s precisely the influence Serena is now using to foster an environment of self-love among her followers.

On Friday, Serena posted a positive message on X that struck a chord with her admirers. She wrote, “Before you go to bed tonight, look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘You are gorgeous. You are beautiful, and you are loved.’ Love ya,” a practice that can easily become a habit to foster self-love. Now, what does the Bible say about loving yourself? According to the official Jehovah’s Witnesses website, “The Bible indicates that it is proper, even necessary, to love yourself to a reasonable degree… Rather than glorifying selfishness, the Bible puts self-love in its rightful place.” 

As Jehovah’s Witnesses, love for God comes first, loving your neighbor as yourself comes second, and third? “Although the Bible does not include a specific command to love yourself, the command to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ indicates that a reasonable degree of self-love and self-respect is normal and beneficial.” This is what Serena Williams was likely preaching with her post on X.

This journey started in the 1980s, when Venus and Serena Williams‘ mother, Oracene Price, introduced them to self-belief. From that moment on, spirituality became an integral part of their remarkable journeys. Over the years, Serena has often expressed her gratitude, stating, “I want to thank Jehovah God,” emphasizing the role her beliefs play in shaping her identity. Now, she has coupled this gratitude with a powerful message about self-confidence, encouraging others to embrace their true selves.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion has publicly expressed her commitment to her faith, even taking part in the well-known door-to-door preaching practice of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As her career progressed and she embarked on new chapters in her life, marrying Alexis Ohanian and becoming a mother in 2017, Williams hinted at the possibility of stepping back from tennis and reconnecting with her faith.

“Being a Jehovah’s Witness is important to me, but I’ve never really practiced it and have been wanting to get into it,” she told Vogue in 2017. Of her husband, she added, “Alexis didn’t grow up going to any church, but he’s really receptive and even takes the lead. He puts my needs first.” That said, Williams sees her faith as a driving factor in her life. How?

Serena Williams wants to build a “better relationship with God”

“We’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, so we don’t do that,” Williams said candidly after the 2018 US Open, describing why she wouldn’t celebrate her daughter Olympia’s first birthday. In an interview with the New York Times a few months ago, Williams discussed why she chooses not to celebrate birthdays, providing insight into the spiritual values that underpin her family.

Serena Williams talked about how she has had a strong connection to God since she was a little child and described her spirituality as a fundamental aspect of who she is. She stated, “I tried to develop a better relationship with God. You have a strong, solid foundation; the Bible says you won’t crack, but the man who built his house in the sand went down spiritually. I have a really strong foundation. That’s how I was raised.”

The 23-time Grand Slam champion never wavers in her devotion to her faith, continually demonstrating the benefits it offers her. Her spirituality has influenced who she is on and off the court, from creating a feeling of community to giving her inner strength when things become tough. In the end, her story shows how faith can be a strong source of inspiration and direction, providing a distinctive perspective on the world and its difficulties.