It is often easy to love one's family, for we tend to minimize the human faults of our close relatives. But are we recognizing the universal fatherhood and motherhood of God and loving the infinite family of man, which includes the real identity of every human being?

A startling statement was once made to the writer, the import of which has unfolded with more clarity as experience has proven its truth. The statement is this: "If you are not loving your neighbor's child as you do your own, you are not loving your child correctly." One clinging to a limited, personal sense of love finds this difficult to accept. However, as we acknowledge God as the Father and Mother of all, our thought is freed from a selfish sense of personal possession and embraces all mankind in the unity of brotherhood.

Christ Jesus gave a graphic illustration of the true relationship we have with one another. He asked: "Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?... Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." ^{Matt. 12:48-50;}

Such relinquishing of a limited sense of family enables one to fulfill his responsibility to his immediate family with more wisdom and understanding and establish his relationship with his universal family more compassionately and justly. This was true of Jesus, who provided for his mother's care as he hung from the cross. John records his words: "Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." ^{John 19:26, 27;} And of his universal family Jesus said, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." ^10:16;

Jesus' life was dedicated to revealing man's oneness with, or inseparability from, the Father. The virgin birth gave him more than human understanding that God is the Father of man and that man reflects all the qualities of divine Mind. This innate discernment included such unselfed love that its influence has brought healing to mankind throughout the centuries and will continue to do so until all evil is forever silenced. It is the duty and privilege of each of us today, as it was of Jesus' immediate disciples, to love mankind as he did, even to the point of relinquishing our cherished human sense of family and of accepting everyone as our brother or sister.

Considering the unlovely and unloving traits evidenced by mortals, this would seem an impossible task. But in Science and Health Mrs. Eddy gives us the rule to follow in making this demonstration in Christian Science: "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick." ^{Science and Health, pp. 476, 477;}

Some years ago the writer became aware that she was encountering more and more people whom, for one reason or another, she didn't like. This was very disturbing, since she was striving to obey the commandment, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." ^{Matt. 22:39;}

She reasoned that whatever appeared as an unlikable trait in an individual could only be the material facade projected by animal magnetism, evil, in its attempt to disguise God's idea for the purpose of creating antagonism among brethren. She realized that it was her privilege and opportunity to see through the disguise and to recognize and acknowledge God's perfect, spiritual reflection in each person with whom she came in contact.

A statement from Science and Health came to thought: "Love never loses sight of loveliness. Its halo rests upon its object." ^{Science and Health, p. 248;}

She asked herself: "Am I truly loving my fellowman when I allow the testimony of personal sense to cloud my thought about him? Am I loving each individual through expressing God's impartial love?"

These analytical questions made her realize that she must place divine Love's halo upon each person she met. She must reflect God by never losing sight of loveliness. She vowed to challenge finite physical sense testimony by showing special, genuine interest in individuals thus misrepresented. She can testify with great joy and humility that from that day on she has never met a person she couldn't love.

To be sure, the task was not an easy one at first, for it took much prayerful use of her spiritual discernment to see through the mist of material sense. But she held thought steadfastly to the spiritual fact that all of us are the children of God and therefore brethren of the same universal family, all knowing and loving the same Father, or Mind. It then became easier to recognize and utilize the spiritual power that this scientific right thinking bestows upon us.

The perfect man, God's likeness, is the man Love's halo rests upon. He is the man of whom Jesus spoke when he said of the Christ, his incorporeal selfhood, "I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." ^{John 14:20;} When we consistently behold the perfect, real man, "this correct view of man" will heal any sickness or discord, including inharmonious human relationships. We read in Science and Health: "It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man will be established." ^{Science and Health, p. 467.}