Day 5: Showing God's Love to Others!

Bible Time > God is Love > Day 5: Showing God's Love to Others!
Because GOD IS LOVE, I know He loves me no matter what, and He helps me to love others as I love myself.

Read or quote the memory verse.

Do you remember what Jesus said are the two greatest Commandments? What are they? (1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 2. Love your neighbor as yourself)

How do we show God's love to others?

First Corinthians 13:4-7 says:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Discover God Bible, (NLT).

According to these verses, what is love?

(Depending on the children's ages, they may or may not name them all and that's okay!)

Patient
Kind
Not envious [wish you had something others may have]
Is not boastful [doesn't brag]
Is not proud [thinking more highly of yourself than you should]
Is not rude
Is not self-seeking [selfish, desiring the best for yourself]
Does not get angry easily
Doesn't keep track of others mistakes
Seeks truth rather than evil
Protects
Trusts
Hopes
Perseveres [sticks with it - doesn't give up easily or quit]

NOTE: This would be a great passage to encourage the kids to memorize so that you will always be reminded about true love.

From the list in this verse, what is the hardest thing for you to do? Be patient? Be kind to someone who's unkind? Think of others first . . . ?

What can you do to change this?

Remember what John 15:5 says? We are to stay connected to Jesus (the vine); apart from Him we can do nothing!

What's the best gift of love we can give? (Sharing Jesus' gift of love with someone who doesn't know about it.)

Sometimes loving someone means making a sacrifice for his benefit. Jesus left the perfect comfort of Heaven and came to earth to die for us.

How have you made a sacrifice in order to help someone you love?

Is there a sacrifice you want to make to show God's love?

Why does it matter?

Loving others is a natural response to loving God. If you're having trouble loving others, go back and focus on loving God first. If you love God first, you can't help but look for ways to love others.

Talk with God and Stay Connected
to the Vine!

Thank God for loving you completely in spite of your failures. Ask God to help you show the same kind of love to others.

Action Point

Because God is Love, I will ________________________.

(Note: Fill in the blank by sharing a specific action point.)