Bible Reading: Philippians 2:1-4
Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. Philippians 2:4
Emily has had crushes on boys since she was in first grade. Every evening and weekend she ties up the phone with her calls. She has a buddy list of boys to bug online that is as long as her arm. Her brain is bogged down in mushiness and gushiness.
Emily is headed for problems. Kids who start boy-girl craziness early on usually don’t make very good choices. They often don’t keep their parents clued in to what’s going on in their head or heart. And boys or girls like Emily are usually thinking about all sorts of stuff besides asking God to help them make good choices.
Here’s a huge question for you kids to ask your parents: “Back when you were our age, could you ever imagine growing up and getting married?”
Kids, maybe you’ve never thought about two vital facts:
Fact Number One: Growing up is unstoppable. You’re maturing. Sooner than you can imagine, you’ll look just like your mom and dad!
Fact Number Two: Someday you may get married. Right now you might worry about catching cooties from the guys or girls you know. But sooner or later you’ll start noticing how cute somebody is.
Even if you’re miles away from ever liking a boy or girl, it’s crucial to get into your head now what good boy-girl relationships look like. It’s the only way you’ll get God’s best when your parents and you decide you’re ready to date.
See, for some growing-up guys or gals the whole world is about boyfriends and girlfriends. Like Emily, they’re stuck in mush and gush. They make bad choices. Their big goal is to latch on to someone they can call their own.
God has a far better way for you to see the world. Life isn’t just about boyfriend and girlfriends. It’s about friends. You know you’re on track when your big goal isn’t to fall in love but to grow in friendship. You aim to find out what makes another person tick, and you watch out for his or her interests. That’s the kind of relationship where real love starts.
When you wonder about your far-off future—like dating and finding a mate—friendship is the word you want to keep in the front of your brain. It’s how you’ll find your best friend for life!
TALK: Have you noticed kids in your grade who are already boy- or girl-crazy? What do you think of God’s plan to put friendship first?
PRAY: God, thank you that you have great plans for my life. As I grow up, teach me to choose good friends and to make those choices one of the most important things in my life.
ACT: Here’s one for the older kids: How do you see your peers acting toward guys and girls? Are they making friendship their biggest goal?
