And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:13-14)
This declaration is similar to Jesus’ response to the lawyer, who asked Him about the greatest commandment in the law.
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Since these things appear to be consistently linked, perhaps the love that we show each-other is a measure of the love we have towards God, and not the other way around. We show that we love the Creator by demonstrating love to His creation. John seems to support this view.
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. (1 John 4:20-21)
At this Christmas time, may we commit to treating each-other better, for we are all the creation of God.
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