2016 Christmas message: Love one another and experience true joy

It’s Christmastime—the season of joy. It’s a time when we make an extra effort to be kind and giving. A quick look at the scriptures tells us why joy and these nobler traits are so much a part of Christmas.

Jesus spoke of joy in a conversation with his disciples on the night before he died. He told them, “If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; … these things I have spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” He went on to say, “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.”

The message is a simple one—if we keep the commandment to love another we will experience the joy of the Lord. That’s profound. I’m sure that the joy Jesus talks about is deeper than the many joys we share during the holidays, and while those joys are good and meaningful how wonderful it would be to have Jesus’ joy in our hearts.

Jesus taught us a number of ways that we can show love to one another—we can forgive, we can reach out to the poor and afflicted, we can help a family in need to have a decent home (He might not have actually mentioned that last one, but I’m sure He would approve!). Loving one another is not that hard to do.

All of us here at The Fuller Center for Housing wish you and yours a joyous Christmas. As you reach out to bless others, may the joy of the Lord fill your heart.