enemies
WELCOME TO WEEK 5
What is an enemy? Do you have anyone that you would consider your enemy? How do you treat them in comparison to your friends? The bible gives us instructions on how we are to treat our enemies. It might be hard to follow these instructions sometimes, but our enemies will help us learn to love the way our Heavenly Father wants us to love others.
BIBLE STORY
This month we’ve talked about how things can feel backwards. Jesus tells us that our woes can be blessings and our blessings can be woes, or that following Jesus may feel different from what we’ve ever done before. Although we feel backwards this month, we’ve also learned that we can trust God’s plan is best. He knows what we need and the best way for us to treat on another. What is the opposite of a friend? Do you have anyone that is not a friend, but actually the opposite? They treat you in a way that is opposite of how friends treat each other. Listen to these scenarios and tell me the opposite way to treat others.
-Stealing your classmates pencil (offering a pencil to a classmate who needs one)
-Kicking a boy as they run by on the playground (offering a playground toy to someone without one)
-Pushing down an opposing player (helping an opposing player up when injured)
-Calling someone mean names (giving someone a genuine complement)
-Excluding a new person from your game (picking the new kid)
-Laughing at someone who is wearing old worn-out clothes (offering to give or share your clothes to someone who needs it)
We would probably try to avoid being friends with someone who had some of these traits, and might even call them our enemy. What if we were the person being treated this way in each of the statements I made, but we responded with the opposite actions. If they showed us hate and we showed them love, what would that look like? That would be hard to do, but that’s what God calls us to do. We are to love our enemies. This week we are looking at what Jesus said about our enemies which might sound backwards to us. We may naturally want to treat our enemies the same way they treated us, but God wants us to respond in a better way. Let’s read or listen to our story for this week.
Read or listen to the scripture Luke 6:27-38
How did Jesus say you should treat your enemies? (Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you)
What should you do if someone slaps you? (Turn your check)
What should you do it someone wants your coat? (Give them your shirt as well.)
If someone takes something from you, what should you do? (Not demand it back)
How should you treat others? (The way you would have them treat you.)
What should be the difference between how Christians love and sinners? (Not just love those who love you, but also love those who hate and be good to those who are not good to you)
Do not judge, do not condemn, but what should you do instead? (Forgive and give)
To what measure will these things be given to you? (The measure to use for others is what will be given to you.)
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
Activity
What if we treated our enemies as well as we treat our friends? What would that look like? The bible gives examples of things we should do to our enemies. Print and cut out the following scenarios and the scripture cards. Read a scenario card aloud to the person taking a turn. That person then picks a bible verse card from the deck to read aloud. They will then tell how they would respond to the scenario using the Bible verse as their guide for their behavior. EXAMPLE: Your enemy trips you while walking down the hallway at school and makes you drop all your books. Everyone turns to stare at you and begins to laugh. How would you respond? If the verse you chose read “Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you”, you might say “I would greet them kindly every morning with a smile and a warm hello”.
Materials: scenarios
Alternate
Set up two areas for tossing beanbags, or small object into a bowl. Set one container close to the start line and the other container much further back. It should be far enough away to make it more difficult to toss the bag into, but not far away that they miss the bowl. Label the closest container “Love your friends” and the other container “love your enemies”. Place the enemy container furthest back. I’m going to read these scenarios, and you decide if it was the right way to love your enemies, the wrong way to love your enemy or if it was loving a friend. If it is the wrong way to love your enemies do not toss a bag into either bowl but toss the bag into the corresponding bowl if the scenario shows love to an enemy or a friend.
Materials: 2 small containers, small items to toss such as beans or beanbags, printed scenarios
Independent activity:
Illustrate a picture showing how you should treat your enemies. Use one of the bible verses about loving your enemy to write on your paper that matches your picture.
Materials: printed activity sheet
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Coloring page
Materials:printed coloring sheet, crayons or other coloring utensils
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
FOLLOW-UP
Read or listen to 1 John 4:7-21
In this verse we see how we are to love one another through the example we see from Jesus. God is love, so whoever does not love does not know God. When we are followers or believers in Jesus, our life should reflect it. When we know God, we will also know His love and then reflect it to others around us. We love because God first loved us. He shows us how to love others, whether they are our loved ones or our enemies! We do not have to depend on our own strength to love those who are mean to us, but we can rely on God’s love to help us love in difficult situations.
Who loved us first?
How does knowing God loved us first help us love others?
Is it easier or harder to love others when we know how much we are loved?
Do you think People who are not loving towards other people have been shown or given a lot of love?
How can knowing our enemies may be lacking love, help us show them love more easily?
What are some examples of enemies you have?
How can you show them love instead of hate this week?
What does it mean to be a reflection?
What does it mean to be a reflection of Jesus?
How has God shown love towards people who did not love Him?
Practical Application at Home
In our very busy world we sometimes get in a hurry and forget to think of others besides ourselves. We are not always looking for ways to be kind to others or remember to show them love. Think of ways you can be a reminder to others to be kind to one another and show God’s love to each other. We can share the beauty of God’s love with others and spread His love. When we write words of encouragement, it can brighten someones day or even remind them to show God’s love in their lives. We can do this through various ways such as, writing a message on our sidewalk in sidewalk chalk, or write a sidewalk chalk message on a park walkway, decorate rocks with encouraging words and leave them along a walking trail, send notes to classmates, leave encouraging notes under your neighbor’s doormat. Your message can say anything encouraging you can think of, such as:
Jesus loves you
Be kind one to another
Love your enemies
We love because He first loved us
God loves us with an Everlasting Love!
You are redeemed
You are loved
You are chosen
You are forgiven
Any special message from you!
Additional Resources
Outings to Reinforce Lesson
Enjoy the cool weather and take a nature walk. Leave a few notes of encouragement and love on your path for others to read. What part do each of us playin showing God’s love to others?