Thoughts: To be a child of the Father means to love other children of the same Father. As a father, I want my children to get along. I want this not simply to calm the noise in the house, but for them to bless each other with peace and love - long after I am gone. I still remember being an angel in the live nativity scene at our church. The other angel and I argued in between scenes all night. Once our teacher had to break up the fight. This was so wrong in so many ways. Angels don't fight each other- at least not the good ones. The message of the angels was not "everyone for themselves" but peace on earth goodwill toward those on whom His favor rests."
But there is a sense in which this verse points out that if we are born of God then we should love our oldest brother- Jesus- the first begotten of the Father. Jesus is the first one to make it through to the other side and then come back to tell us about it . The Sonship of Jesus is special. We are adopted children- born again into the kingdom. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. The King James translation points to this: "every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him." We are called to love Jesus and each other- not simply because of His teaching and our belief, but because we are in the same family- in the same place. We are all at the manger worshiping. We all give thanks to God as a baby- not just Jesus the teacher. Not just for his potential as a teacher and example-giver but for Jesus as a being worthy of the angels' song, the shepherds' worship and the wise men's gifts. In His being, there is a reason to love the Father- for sending Him in love- born of God and born in love. The Nicene Creed captures this- He is to be loved as true God from God; light from light; true God from true God. That we are drawn to the Father should draw us together as children, and draw us to the older brother- Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, give me grace to love others and to love Jesus because you have loved me so well.
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