Learning to Love Like Jesus: Kindness, Patience, Forgiveness

Hey kids and parents, welcome to another episode of Carpooling with Jesus. I'm Pastor Justin. And today we're going to talk about something Jesus did all the time and would regularly teach his friends about: how to love one another. Are you ready to learn what Jesus says about being a great friend? Let's dive in. In the Bible, in the New Testament book of John chapter 15, verse 12, Jesus says, this is my command: love one another, as I have loved you. Simple verse, but a big statement, right? You could probably memorize that verse in a day, but it could take you a lot longer to really understand what it means to love someone like Jesus loves us. Well, first, a good place to start is to remember how much Jesus loves us. He loves us so much that he gave up everything, his perfect life in heaven, to come down to earth to save us from sin. Jesus is always kind, always patient, and always forgiving to his friends and to the people who hurt him. So when he says to love others the way he loves us, he's asking us to be kind and patient and forgiving with our friends, family, and everyone we meet. That's our classmates. It's the person that kicks our ball over the fence by accident or on purpose. It's the sibling that breaks our Legos or eats the last of our favorite snacks. Let's break this down. First, kindness. Kindness is all about doing nice things for others. It could be as simple as sharing what you have with a friend, helping someone who dropped their books, or just sharing a little bit of encouragement with someone who looked sad. Here's a question for you. What are some ways you can show kindness today? Kindness isn't always about big things. It's about the little things we do too. Next, we have patience. Sometimes our friends might take a while to finish your game or might make mistakes of their own. Being patient means not getting upset and waiting calmly. Imagine this: you're playing soccer and a friend accidentally bumps into you or forgets to pass you the ball. How can you stay calm and patient? Can you still smile and keep playing without getting upset? Jesus wants us to be patient with others, just like he's patient with us. Finally, let's talk about forgiveness. Forgiveness means letting go of hard feelings when someone hurts you. Maybe a friend said something that hurt your feelings. Instead of holding a grudge, you choose to forgive them and move on. This doesn't mean forgetting that it happened, but it means choosing to heal and to continue being friends. Jesus forgives us every time we make a mistake, and he wants us to do the same for others. It might not always be easy, but Jesus is there to help us make the right choice. So let's practice loving one another today. When you're at school or playing with your friends after school, think about how you can be kind, patient, and forgiving. It might be hard sometimes, but remember, Jesus is with you, helping you make good choices all along the way. Here's a little challenge for you today. Look for just one opportunity to love someone the way Jesus loves you. It could be helping a friend with their homework, playing a game they like, or just giving them a high five when you know they need it. After you've done it, think about how it felt. Did it make you happy? Did it make your friend happy? That's how love works. It spreads, and it feels great. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And don't forget to share that love with others. Thanks for joining me today on Carpooling with Jesus. Here's today's question. Try and answer it before you get out of the car. Kindness, patience, and forgiveness, which one is really hard for you and which one comes easier for you? Have a great day, everybody.