We live in a hard world. As members of the LDS church we know that Heavenly Father has certain expectations of us, that certain things are good, and other things are sins. The world is full of people that make decisions we know are contrary to God's commandments, but that does not give us license to hate or be unkind. This lesson is an introduction for younger children to the idea that we have been instructed, even commanded, to love all of God's children.
Materials:
- Chalkboard
- Chalk
- TV (with internet access)
- Coloring page (link below in lesson)
- Crayons
Jesus Said Love Everyone
Song: Jesus Said Love Everyone, Children's Songbook, pg. 61
Scripture: John 13:34-35 - "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another"
Lesson:
- Ask:
- Who do we love? (Write names down on chalkboard as kids say names of those they love.)
- Who else should we love? (Write these down as well. Prompt if necessary. ex: people of different religions, people that make bad choices, "enemies," etc.) Reference Luke 6:27-38 for further ideas and consider reading aloud as a family as you build your list.
- Show:
- Children's Bible Video - The Good Samaritan Time - 3:50
- Ask your kids to tell the story to check for comprehension and be sure to explain why it's such a big deal it was a Samaritan that stopped. (He was considered the enemy.)
- Ask:
- So what? What does this mean in our lives today? (It means we are expected to love EVERYBODY. Revisit the list previously made.)
- Activity:
- Brainstorm as a family ways to love people that are on your list - whether they're ones they already love, ones they struggle loving, or ones they've never even thought of before. (ex: call Grandma and sing her a song, donate to refugee centers, volunteer at senior homes, smile at strangers, write teacher a thank-you note, etc.) Choose one to focus on as a family, or choose individually, and make it a family goal for the week.
- Good Samaritan Coloring page - while kids are coloring is a great time to discuss the topic and check for understanding, allow them to ask clarifying questions, etc.
- Closing:
- Share this quotation from Pres. Thomas S. Monson from the April 2014 session of General Conference: "We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers on this mortal journey." Bear your testimony of the commandment to love one another.
(If you have teenagers, you might be interested in using Elder Oak's talk from the October 2014 session of General Conference called Loving Others and Living with Differences.)
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