It is unfortunate that Christians, whose self-proclaimed way of life is based on love for God and man, should often find themselves at variance with one another, disregarding the demands of God's law of love. John asks in an epistle, "He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" ^{I John 4:20;}

Love is one of God's qualities. It dissolves frozen channels of selfishness, doubt, fear. It flows freely from its divine source, melting worldly resistance through God's boundless grace.

How can people harmonize difficult relations with others without sacrificing their own integrity and without feeling hypocritical? They may rationalize or philosophize about discordant conditions in order to feel less disturbed. But these approaches fall far short of genuine healing.

We learn from experience that mere human effort to be more patient and forgiving is often frustrating and fruitless. The need is for love that is spiritually based. Christian Science shows us how to live this healing love through scientific prayer, through affirming the perfection of God and man. Then we see this truth expressed to a greater degree in ourselves and others.

God is Love and He is good. God is the only Mind, the All-in-all. Love is the quickening Spirit, and man is the emanation of Love. When we claim our divine right to be ourselves, to express our true, perfect, spiritual nature as Love's idea, we find we are able to think, act, and feel more in terms of love for all. Envy, jealousy, hatred, revenge, can never touch our true selfhood, rooted in Love.

Do we believe there are unloving mortals confronting us? Then we're losing sight of God's allness and infinitude. But we can pray to see the perfect, God-created man where the fallible human concept parades and flaunts itself. Keeping in thought the perfection of man aids in destroying human failings and social injustices.

When we see another rightly, we appreciate the good he is expressing in his own unique, individual way. We can know that from God's point of view he is a radiant reflection of good emanating from Mind. In this light the ugliness of poverty, of war-related and prejudice-based problems, is understood to be illusory and unreal, the figment of a supposititious mortal mind.

When we give in to anger or egotism, we are in bondage to a false concept of man. Asserting the true, spiritual concept, we find our freedom as expressions of divine Love, and relationships are harmonized.

Sometimes it is within the church organization that more Christly love and compassionate understanding are needed. There may be some whose faults are disturbing. Do we join in criticism or gossip about their failings? Do we turn away from the offenders, trying to push them out of our lives, or take a cold, "I don't intend to get involved" position?

We can refuse to react negatively and can respond instead with the warmth of Love and the sincerity of Truth. "The little that I have accomplished," Mrs. Eddy declares, "has all been done through love,—self-forgetful, patient, unfaltering tenderness." ^{The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 247;}

Another way we can prove our love for God and man is to make a point of minding our own business. Prying into the affairs of others, often in the guise of friendship, can harm the innocent. Rather let us be about our Father's business, honestly willing to test our thoughts and motives. This humble restraint will bless all.

Perhaps we're tempted to believe there's a conspiracy afoot to exclude us. Then, we can reassure ourselves that love is no one's personal possession to give or to withhold as human whim or changing mood dictates. Each one of us is Love's glorious, boundless expression of itself. God can never stop loving us. As Love's likeness, we've never, in reality, felt or experienced anything but love.

Divine Love's healing ideas are available to all. The Christ, God's message blessing humanity, is always speaking to human consciousness, telling us the right course to follow.

As we listen to God and are guided by the Commandments and Beatitudes, we communicate more readily and harmoniously with those around us. There is no enmity, no estrangement, no divisiveness in Love, the only Mind of man. We can prove this if a breach seems to occur in a family or other relationship.

Is there a gap between the love we talk about and the love we feel? Then let's pray to feel love toward others. Mrs. Eddy implores, "Oh, may the love that is talked, be felt! and so lived, that when weighed in the scale of God we be not found wanting." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 312;} When we come to understand how much God loves each one, we'll be able to love others more.

Willingness to bring our attitudes, motives, and affections in line with divine Love harmonizes our lives and helps every activity with which we are associated. Understanding that our real being is Love's manifestation, we demonstrate it more consistently in daily living. Mrs. Eddy states, "In love for man we gain the only and true sense of love for God, practical good, and so rise and still rise to His image and likeness, and are made partakers of that Mind whence springs the universe." ^{Miscellany, p. 287.}