The Greatest of These

1 Corinthians 13:4-6, 13, NIRV

⁴Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor other people. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people’s wrongs. ⁶Love is not happy with evil. But it is full of joy when the truth is spoken.

¹³The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love.

Candy Heart Words: “Sure Love” (or “B Love”)

Message

What is love? Is it how you feel about someone or something? (Allow children to respond.) Is it more than that feeling? Today’s Bible verses teach us that love is much more than just a feeling. Love is an action! Sure, love is showing love by your actions even when you don’t feel loving. What if your parents tell you that they love you, but how can their actions show you? (Allow children to give suggestions.) Those are great examples. Did they buy groceries to feed you? Did they buy you clothes? Do they provide a roof over your head? Those are all ways people show love by their actions.

What do you think I mean when I say that? (Allow children to respond.) An example of what I mean is, maybe you’ll have to do something kind for someone when you are really upset with him or her. Maybe what I mean is saying something kind when you feel like saying something mean. Maybe being loving means doing something nice for someone who hasn’t been nice to you. It is in those moments when it will mean feeling love for the other person and showing love by doing something for that person!

The Bible is filled with stories of people who did just that. People showed God’s love to others. Another way to put it, is to be love. I would like to read today’s scripture to you, and I want you to show by counting on your fingers ways that you can be a loving person. How can you show God that you love God by how you love others? Let us count the ways. (Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-6, 13 out loud. Encourage children to count ways that come to their minds on their fingers while you read).

13:4 Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor other people. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people’s wrongs. ⁶Love is not happy with evil. But it is full of joy when the truth is spoken.

¹³The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love.

Remember, God knows that you love God when you are loving to other people. Who comes to your mind who needs God’s love? (Allow children to respond.)

Each week for our prayer, instead of praying hands, we will shape our hands like hearts to remind us of love. Can you place your hands in this position? (Position your hands like this:)

Prayer: God of love, let us show love to others even when we might not want to. Let us show love to others even when we might not feel it. Let us show love to others because that shows how much they are loved. Let us “B Love” in this world! Amen.

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Scripture verses are from New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.