Well, in just a few more days, Christmas will be here. Peace on earth, goodwill towards all.

Lately, each year, it’s hard to see the peace or goodwill that we are supposed to have and share at this time of year.

With 173 million Christians in the United States and more than 2 billion Christians around the world, one would think that it would be a comparatively easy thing to accomplish, but the more time goes on, the more distant the dream of peace and goodwill seems to get.

There are those who believe that Christians are supposed to be a certain way, act a certain way, do certain things, belong to a certain group, support a certain political party, say certain things and so on, and be against those who don’t do those things. They believe that is what makes people Christians.

“Love your enemies,” Jesus told his followers of the day — of that day and this day. “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. Love your enemies, do good to them and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then, your reward will be great. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Watching the news this year and using that passage as a definition of Christianity, would you be able to tell who is Christian? Would you be able to find any Christians?

Talking with the people you know and even listening to yourself speak, using that passage as the definition, would you be able to find any Christians?

Don’t try to define who is a Christian and who is not; that’s a waste of time. Don’t try to remove the speck from one person’s eye without noticing the beam in your own.

All we can do is live the life that we have been taught. No one will do it perfectly from birth. No one will do it perfectly at all, but we can try.

What our world, our nation and our neighborhoods need are people to try harder to live the life they profess to be living already, and that includes me.

Help your fellowman in even the smallest thing, and you will become a better person. Do unto others before they do unto you. Share what you have with others when you can.

We are one community, living with and through each other. We are all children of God, and each year, we are reminded of that through the birth of one child.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

David B. Snow is the managing editor of the Demopolis Times.