God’s Design for Families: That means YOU! (Part 2)

(Part 2)

God didn’t throw families together any more randomly than he threw the world together. Everything has an intricate design, including God’s blueprint for family. Last week in PART 1, the focus was on where the design came from. This week we focus on the amazing idea of what it means, and doesn’t, to be made in God’s image

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Create a gift box

This activity sets the stage for talking to kids about what it means to be made in God’s image.

Collect a few small boxes, one for each child.

• Tape either 1) a photo of your child OR 2) a small craft mirror (you can get these at a craft store) inside the bottom of the box.
• Close the box and tape it shut.
• Write the name of that child on the outside bottom of the box. 
• Have the child whose name is on the bottom of the box decorate it with random craft supplies. No peeking inside the box! 
• Set aside until later. 
• Follow up with the talking points below.

Once upon a time…

Once upon a time there were no cars, trains, or airplanes (hard to believe, right?) There were no laptops, no smartphones and no TVs There was no way to push the remote and watch TobyMac get his Grammy or listen to someone across the country in Texas sing the national anthem before a baseball game. 

So…

a king who ruled a large country had no way to see everyone in his kingdom. He came up with a plan. He created images, think statues here, who looked like him. He put these images near the market place and the courthouses and homes all across the land.

When people saw his image they remembered, “THIS is what our ruler looks like. He’s the one who is king!” That image represented his power and authority and rule.

When God created the world…

he wanted someone who would be like him. Someone who would show the world what he was like. Creating an image like the king above did was a no-no. A statue could never represent Almighty God, Most High, Lord of All.

So God created people who were alive!
People who could…
feel happy and sad,
speak good words and funny words
hear music and the rumble of thunder.

God is Creator…
so he made people who could be creative with ideas, music, buildings–and gift boxes!
God is ruler…
so he made people who would rule and take care of the earth in his place.
God is relational…
so he made people who could have friendships with each other.
Most importantly,
God is love…so he made people he could love and who would love him back.

God’s Design for YOU!

So God created human beings in his own image. (Genesis 1:27)

Each person in your family is more than a collection of bones, muscles, teeth and hair. You’re not just a number or a name on a long list of babies born at a hospital. You’re special. God made you!

Because God made all people…

• Everyone in your family has value.
  How much do you think the motorcycle below is worth?

The average cost of a Harley is $20,000. Some can cost almost $50,000. It’s worth a lot because Harley Davidson makes it.

What makes you valuable isn’t what you can do or what you have. If that were the case, your baby brother or sister wouldn’t be as valuable as your mom or dad. What makes you valuable is who made you–God.

• Everyone in your family has a purpose.
  God didn’t just make you, he made you for one main reason: To really know and love him (Jer. 9:24; Luke 10:27). Sometimes adults and kids busy themselves with things like basketball practice, errands, even with things like going to church. The most important purpose your family has, though, is to know God and love him.
  
  Why do you think God made your family?
  Does that change how you spend your time?

• Everyone in your family is made for relationship with others.
  The relationship you and your mom have or your dad and your mom have is special. You can feel sad with each other, comfort each other, talk to each other.
  That’s different than the relationship between a cardinal and a sparrow or a cocker spaniel and a human. God created animals too, just not in his image like people are. He made people for deep relationships.
  
  What is a good friend like? What do they do? What don’t they do?

Gift Box Application

Pull out the gift boxes decorated earlier.

Have each person open their box. When he looks inside, he’ll see either his reflection in the mirror OR his picture.

Say…”God made people in his image. YOU were made in the image of God. YOU are a gift from God!”

Ask…

1. If you had a special gift, how would you treat it?
2. Have you ever thought of your brother or sister as a gift from God?
3. Has there ever been a time when your family didn’t treat each other like the gift they are?
4. How does thinking of them as a gift change how you treat him or her? Talk to him or her?

2020 © Carol Garborg