1 John 4:10-11

10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins,
11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

I was reading in 1 John last night and came across these two verses. I love them. Especially now as it's getting closer to the Christmas season, these verses really hit what the spirit of this season should be all about. It's a celebration of the love Heavenly Father has for us in sending us His Son and the love that Jesus had for us in his willingness to come. That's true love.
But it doesn't stop there. Being recipients of that kind of love, we owe it to each other to love one another as well. And that's what really makes Christmas special--everybody trying to show each other that kind of love, that kind of charity.
John also talks about how when we love one another, we are coming to know God, because God is love. Maybe that's what makes Christmas such a magical time. Because every time we show our love for our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, our families, friends, and even strangers, we are taking a single step forward in our relationship with God.
And when you think about it, that's what's Christmas is really all about.