Welcome! If you are anything like me, this COVID-19 quarantine has been a really good excuse to get a few things done. One other area that I have been focusing on is my family and our spiritual health. As I mentioned in my opening blog, I have had this idea for a long time. I am so excited to begin this journey and I hope you will join me and attempt to utilize some of these devotionals/studies in your home. Our first study will be on the Fruits of the Spirit. We will focus on "love", this first time. Are you ready?
Over-arching Fruit of the Spirit memory verse:
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
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GET TO KNOW THE FRUITS!
Use this to engage your young children in the content. It tends to be a younger crowd favorite, so you may want to begin each "Fruit of the Spirit" session with this song.
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Optional memory verse:
1 John 4:7-8, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not loves does not know God, because God is love."
To help in the memorizing, you could use this song as practice -
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LOVE: Opening songs:
For the younger children:
For the family:
As you watch/sing-along, consider the words. Consider todays topic. The first Fruit is love. How is that Fruit shown in this song?
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Modern illustration/introduction
For the Youngers -
For the whole family -
"Being the strong wife and mother that she is, Diana Register often hid her deep pain and suffering from those around her. In the weeks and months following her husband’s cancer diagnosis, Diana would search for “hiding” places where she could let the uncontrollable waterfalls of painful tears flow from her eyes.
“The closet was a favorite. The shower. But when I wasn’t home, it was parking lots that became an asphalt covered oasis,” she writes.
After her husband passed away, parking lots were Diana’s safe haven for grief.
One day, as she was about to place her order in the Dutch Brothers coffee drive-thru, the wave of sadness hit her like a tidal wave in the middle of her conversation with a friend.
“I could barely catch my breath and the ugly crying started,” said Diana. “The problem was, I was stuck in the coffee line. At Dutch Brothers. The one place where all the workers are young, happy and jamming out to music. And there was no way out. I was literally blocked in, so unless I wanted to back right up into the SUV behind me, I was about to be seen for the mess I really was.”
The barista at the window handed Diana an iced coffee with a sweet and simple note scribbled on the top.
After her husband passed away, parking lots were Diana’s safe haven for grief.
One day, as she was about to place her order in the Dutch Brothers coffee drive-thru, the wave of sadness hit her like a tidal wave in the middle of her conversation with a friend.
“I could barely catch my breath and the ugly crying started,” said Diana. “The problem was, I was stuck in the coffee line. At Dutch Brothers. The one place where all the workers are young, happy and jamming out to music. And there was no way out. I was literally blocked in, so unless I wanted to back right up into the SUV behind me, I was about to be seen for the mess I really was.”
The barista at the window handed Diana an iced coffee with a sweet and simple note scribbled on the top." (excerpt taken from: https://faithit.com/heartwarming-stories-love-your-neighbor/)
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Biblical Example - Good Samaritan
Read: Luke 10:25-37
This passage is Jesus telling a parable. A parable is a story that illustrates or helps others understand a spiritual concept. This parable is a really good example of someone showing love. Let's step back in time and put ourselves in the shoes of the man on the road.
Imagine you are walking in the country. It is a long road, with nothing for miles. The terrain is rocky around you, making great hiding places for robbers, theives and outcasts. As you are walking down the road, out jumps those robbers. You are beaten so badly, you are close to death. You have been left along that roadside, and isn't well travelled. Along comes a priest, a spiritual man. You think, "This is my savior, someone who will help me!" But he looks at you, sees you, and moves to the other side of the street. Then a Levite walks past, and the same thing happens. Then along comes a Samaritan. You know you have no hope of help from him, because Samaritans and Jews do not interact. In fact, they are mortal enemies. The Jews actually go to great lengths to avoid going through Samaria. He sees you though, sees that you are in need. He stops and takes care of you. He picks you up and puts you on his donkey. Takes you to the closest town and gets you into a hotel room. Makes sure that you are taken care of and on the mend.
This is the parable that Jesus tells when asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life." The question came from one of the religious leaders who was trying to corner Jesus and turn people against him. Jesus understands what is going on and responds, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself." The question that came back at him was, "Who is my neighbor?"
Imagine who that Jew sitting on the side of the road thought would help him out. He thought it would be the ones who were like him. Those are the people the Jew thought were his "neighbor". Jesus is making the case that our neighbor is anyone who we come across that is in need of our care. Jesus gets right to the heart of the question was being asked. We shouldn't be asking "Who is my neighbor?", We should be asking, "Am I showing love to all of my neighbors, can I be a better neighbor?"
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Application Questions
1. How is the story of the barista and the Good Samaritan parable alike?
2. When might someone be tempted to respond like the preist and Levite?
3. Has there been a time when you've respoded like the preist and Levite?
4. What are some real life examples of how you could be like the Samaritan?
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Family Prayer Time
As you share in a family prayer time, ask God to help you look for moments when you can be like the Samaritan. Ask God to give you a heart to care for those who are less fortunate and needy. Ask God to help you resist the temptation to follow the crowd or the popular opinion in regards to those who don't quite fit in.
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