Galatians 3:28-29 In Christ's family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ's family, then you are Abraham's famous "descendant," heirs according to the covenant promises.
This week at Bridge Kids, we began a new month of learning about the Bridge Core Value, Equality. We talked about how treating all people with equal care and respect is a reflection of God’s Love. Love God, Love Others as Ourselves.
We started out asking the BKs what the word “Equality” means to them. We talked about how our church, The Bridge, provides equal opportunities for all in any capacity, male and female alike, which brings full benefit to the kingdom of God. God doesn’t play favorites. His gifts and enabling love is given to all human beings, the same.
Then, we randomly separated the kids out on different sides of the room. We told the group we were going to give the kids on one side of the room a special treat. Then, we asked each side how they felt about the situation – “Why do you think this side of the room is getting a treat and the other side is not?” “How does it feel to be getting a treat, when your friends do not?” “How does it feel to not be getting a treat when your friends get one?” Once we discussed things, we brought everyone together and talked about how God doesn’t give preferential treatment to certain people. We all get His love, regardless of how we look, what we have/don’t have, where we live, or if we are a boy or girl. God loves us all.
We talked about how we need to treat one another equally and ways we could do that. We then created the first sentence of the Bridge Kids Declaration of Equality, which will be added to, each week in the month of January and then signed by each Bridge Kid who declares to do their best to walk a path of Equality.
"God doesn't play favorites,
Kid Response: Be love to each other and be nice."
Dine and Dish:
Talk – Talk to your kids about Equality. What does that mean to you?
Ask your kids if they have ever been treated differently at school, or by others because of the way they look or think. How did they react? How did it make them feel?
Talk to your kids about times you have ever been treated differently because of the way you look or think. How did you react? How did it make you feel?
Ask your kids if they have ever treated someone differently because of the way they look or think. Ask them why and what happened and what, if anything, they would change about their actions.
Do an activity together:
Read – Read about the Civil Rights movement. Talk to your kids about what happened and how specific individuals changed the world by standing up for what they believed.
Read – The Bible. Read about Jesus’ life. The way he treated women, lepers, Gentiles & Jews, etc. Discuss why Jesus treating people the way he did made such a huge impact on the world.
Listen– Listen to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and discuss what it means to you personally with your kids.
Write – Write your own Declaration of Equality for your home, as it pertains to your family. Each person should contribute and sign the Declaration – put it on your fridge or somewhere prominent where you can all see it.
Write – Write your own “I Have a Dream” speech together. What kind of changes do you want to see in your neighborhood, schools, workplaces, church? Discuss these with your kids.
Get Involved – Find a “cause” together, as a family, and volunteer. It can be as simple as writing a Congressperson about something you feel strongly about or even a school principle. Or, you can find ways to volunteer together at the Urban League of Portland, your kids school, etc.
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