9.08.2008

Love One Another


"I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. If you love one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples." I John 13:34-35

Yesterday, we learned about loving each other at Mosaic Kids. I used the three items in the photo above to teach them "Love.One.Another." We hid them around the room, went to find them, and then we got to shout, "Love.One.Another" over and over.

But, what does that mean? And what does it mean to love each other like Jesus loved us?

For that, we had a little experience together. I wanted the kids to understand HOW Jesus loves them. So, I told them that if they could memorize all of John 13:34-35 in 2 minutes, we would have a PARTY with cookies, prizes, and balloons. Wow, did that get them excited. So, I wrote the verses on the white board, turned it around and gave them two minutes. But it was too hard. No one could repeat it. We couldn't have the party. You should have seen their faces and heard their pleading!

Instead, I went on to talk about how Jesus served his disciples in John 13 by washing their feet. This was a story the children knew from a previous lesson. We talked about how Jesus washed their feet even though they were stinky. We talked about how Jesus died on the cross for us even though it was hard. And that's how Jesus wants us to love others. We talked about how Jesus loves us even though we aren't perfect. He loves us even though we don't always obey our parents, we don't always get the right answer, and we don't always obey God, either. And that's why, even though we didn't get the right answer during our Bible memory quiz.... we get to have a party anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's how Jesus loves us. He lavishes His grace and kindness upon us, even though we can do nothing to earn or deserve it. He invites us to His party, even though our feet are stinky. And that's how he wants us to love each other. He asks that we love, even when it's difficult, even when people are imperfect, even if they don't smell very nice. And it comes with a promise: when we love like he loves, we will look like him, and people will see it.

May it be so.

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