As we broke off into our small groups, where we do some in depth sharing. I guess as in depth as you can get with 11 and 12 year olds. LOL! I asked the girls do you know what it means to bring Glory to God, and if so, what are some ways we could do that? "crickets...chirping..silence. UGH!
Time to roll up my sleeves and get busy!! :)
We always do a high low game before we start. We start with everyone's high points of the day, and then their low. They LOVE this. This is such a wonderful way to end our session too, because we give thanks for the good, and pray for the difficulties these kids face. One of my girls shared her low point, she had to sit by a weird, smelly boy for lunch, because the teachers are assigning seats at lunch time. Ugh, and she went on to tell us how disgusted she was, and that is just wasn't fair. Sigh!! The holy spirit instantly put the song..."Love Them Like Jesus..Show them to Him." I let her vent, and then...I got out my M&M's.
I asked the girls you are all Christians ..correct? Did you know you all have a mark on you (in) you called the holy spirit? Huh?? Blank stares. I said,"just like these M&M's have a M on them, it shows to us that this is the company it belongs to. But you have the mark of the holy spirit in you, and you were marked for ministry, for a purpose. To bring God Glory! Still...crickets.
I just kept going with it. I said notice the colors of the M&M's they are all different. Just like you, and your personalities. Some of you are red..you are bold, competitive, some are blue you are calm, while others are orange and very assertive. Anyways you all are uniquely different, just like these M&M's God gave us different gifts and abilities that He wants us to use to bring Him glory.
I started to get their attention..either that or the promise they would get some M&M's after the lesson. But none the less...they were listening.
One girl said, "but I don't have any talents." I assured her she did. She maybe just hasn't discovered them yet. But I said there is something that links us all together as Christians that we can use to bring God glory. It is something He commands us to do. LOVE!!
In John 13:34 Jesus says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." and in Matt 5:44 He says, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?(in other words how are you showing them you are a Christian.) Our greatest thing we can do is LOVE. Did it not say in 1 Corn 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.?
Then I thought I would drive it home, saving the best for last. I asked the girls..what are these M&M's filled with? Chocolaty goodness. YUM! It's what gives it it's yummy flavor. But let me ask you this...what if it was empty. One of the girls said, "it would just be a empty shell. !!" I said, girls if we aren't filled with God's love, we are empty shells...tasteless.. Oh sure some of us look pretty on the outside, but with out God's love (the chocolaty goodness) on the inside we are nothing but empty shells. But people won't ever experience the wonderful taste of that chocolate if we don't show it.
In John 13:35 it says, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Girls this is how you can bring Glory to God. LOVE!! Even when someone is smelly, even if they are mean to you, even if they are obnoxious.
"But that is hard"...lots of moaning and groaning. I told them I know. But we don't go by our feelings, we go by what is right, and you girls have the power of the holy spirit living in you. The same power that healed the sick, and brought people back to life. Pray about it. God never told us it would be easy. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."John 16:33. Take heart, Jesus makes it worth it. Step out in faith, and obedience, and wait and see what God will do.
We finished our time together by lifting the girls that were struggling with smelly boys, and friendship issues up in prayer. I said a little silent prayer also for each one of those girls. I pray for all us to remember we are a billboard for Christ. God knows our heart, but the world sees our actions. They don't need to see us just going to church..but BEING the church. This world is tasteless we are the salt and light (Matt 5:13-16) it is Christ in us that we can show others LOVE or the "chocolaty goodness." We do that with our actions.
