Praying for Our NeighboursSample

Who is your best friend? What makes someone a good friend? Maybe for you this means spending a lot of time together, laughing about the same jokes, helping each other, listening to the same music, or playing the same sports.

In John 15:12-14, Jesus says that he calls us friends, and he explains what real friendship with him looks like.

1. We should love others the same way as he loved us.

2. Jesus loved us so much that he died for our sins. Really loving someone means putting the needs of the other first. Not pushing your own will but caring so much that it costs you something.

3. Loving Jesus means doing what he says, knowing him better, and trusting that he knows what is best.

Jesus also teaches that we should not only be nice to our friends. He tells us to be kind to everyone. This also includes people that hurt us, bully us, ignore us, or people we do not know yet. We should love them, pray for them, and welcome them.

Discuss:

Is there someone in your school, sports club, or church in the city that you are from that others are not welcoming and kind to? Together with your family think of ways to welcome them, e.g., join you for lunch at break time, sit next to you in church. Maybe you even can become friends.

Prayer:

Ask Jesus to teach you how to be his friend and to love others like he loves you. Pray also for the people in your neighbourhood that do not feel welcome or loved and ask God to help you find ways to welcome them.