If all are conceived in the image of God, then how we treat the least among us is exactly how we would treat God Incarnate Himself; for He very deliberately identified Himself with “the least of these” (Matt 25:40, 45).
It was precisely for this reason that the apostle John wrote, “the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20b).
To love whom God loves is to love God.
To not love them is to not love Him.
To withhold practical love from them is to withhold meaningful love from Him.