1 John 2:7-17 God had given commandments about love throughout the Old Testament, but when He sends His Son to save humanity, He was taking love to the next level. Jesus is the example of how we are to love others... not emotional, but enduring and endearing, in spite of the wrongs, loving anyway, to the point of laying our life down for our friends.

Luke 2:8-12 In the standard nativity scene with which we are likely familiar, we see some things that are not necessarily accurate. In our case though, the shepherds are the ones that we need to look to, because they are the ones in the story who most resemble us... lowly outcasts who most people would ignore... yet God told them first, just like he comes to us.

Micah 6:1-8 In Micah's day (700 years before Jesus), Israelite society was corrupt and immoral. Even religious people professed to believe but didn't actually practice worship. In Micah's prophecy God asks "what have I done to you?" and the people respond with arrogance and pride. He then tells us what He wants for Christmas, and every other day of the year.