Note to parent or teacher: This 45- to 60-minute lesson plan is the second part of a five-part series of lesson plans that highlight the various aspects of the lesson objective “God’s Law of Love” (Christian Life and Faith: Biblical and Christian Foundation: God’s Law of Love-1a–h).

Read “Love, the Greatest Commandment, Part 2: Worship God, Not Things.”

Discuss together how when we worship God, we draw close to Him through praise and thanksgiving, and we are then able to reflect more of His loving ways in our lives.

• Bring out that God wants us to have the things that we need and also things that we enjoy, but these things are not what fill our lives with love and joy; that is what God does for us.
• Examine an experience your child had of focusing on a desire to have something to the exclusion of being kind to others. Did they find joy in that? You might also find it helpful to share an experience you’ve had along these lines as well so the child doesn’t feel singled out, explaining that it’s something we all must take notice of in our lives.
• Discuss experiences you and your child have had of putting love for God and others first and how things worked out.

Read “Manifest God’s Love.”

Read “An Important Race.”

Pray the first prayer of “Pray a Way: Forgiveness” in relation to a disappointing experience; for example, someone breaking or losing one of your toys or hindering a fun event you were looking forward to. Showing forgiveness in such a situation is one way of worshipping God and not things.

Read “Bible Adventures with Joe Key: A Dream and a Prophet.” Because of his closeness with God, Daniel was blessed with great wisdom. Ask your child if he or she can think of a time when Daniel and his friends followed God’s ways instead of the way man views things. (Suggestion: Read from a children’s Bible the story of Daniel 1:3–20 when Daniel and his friends declined to eat the king’s fancy foods and would only eat clean and healthy foods such as vegetables.)

Read “Bible Adventures with Joe Key: The Temple Episode” and the full story about what Jesus did in the temple in Matthew 21:12–13 and Mark 11:15–17. Jesus always put love for God and others as His main focus, and He was upset when the poor were taken advantage of by these sales of material goods in the temple.

Read “Love, the Greatest Commandment, Part 3: Honor God’s Name.”

Explain to your child that part of showing our love and respect for God is by only using the names of God (God, Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit) in a positive light—God’s names that we and others can call on for the help we need in life.

• If your child has heard others use God’s names as swear words, talk about how to react. Explain that we shouldn’t take part and imitate others doing so, but we don’t need to feel compelled to correct others for it. Discuss ways to react that will not alienate someone they might hear using God’s name as a swear word. Explain that the best testimony is to continue to personally love Jesus and let His love shine through us in our deeds and loving interactions with others.
• Another way to use God’s name in vain is to live in ways that hurt others while bragging about knowing Jesus. For example, bullying other kids and saying that Jesus cares more about you than them; or talking about Jesus’ love for others, but then being disrespectful to people. We’re responsible to do our best to be a reflection of God’s nature.

Read “Standing on God’s Word: Having Right Priorities.”

Read “Meals with Jesus: She Showed Great Love.” (Your child might enjoy the accompanying coloring page and 3D picture.)

Read “Acting God.”

Talk about things your child does and things they see others and you, his or her parents, do that show God’s love for people and are therefore ways of honoring God’s name.