When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.
Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset
HEAD
Do you know why God gave us rules? To help us LOVE well. Jesus said the greatest rule is to love God and the second most important rule is to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). This is what Paul was talking about when he used the phrase, “the law of Christ”. God’s rules are always about love! Helping someone with their burdens helps us obey the law (the rule) of Jesus Christ because it shows love.
HEART
Burdens come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them can easily be seen from the outside, like when Mom comes through the door with her arms full of grocery bags or a friend passes you in the hall with a big stack of books. These are the kinds of burdens we carry in our arms. Other burdens are hidden and can only be seen when someone talks about them, like when you have a problem or feel worried about something – these are the kinds of burdens we carry in our hearts.
Just like Mom’s groceries or a friend’s load of books, our worries and problems can feel “heavy” too! They weigh us down and cause us to feel sad or alone and afraid. Can you think of a time when you felt this way? When I’m carrying around a burden (in my arms or in my heart) and someone comes along to help me with the load (by lifting or by listening), my burden feels lighter.
HANDS
We help lighten the load when we share the heavy lifting! When you notice someone in your family or school carrying a heavy load, offer to share the weight! Sometimes heavy lifting also looks like holding open a door, handling the laundry, or helping with dinner and the dishes. We also help lighten the load by listening. When you see a classmate or sibling with a worried look or frown, a usually fun and chatty friend who gets quiet or doesn’t want to play, or when you find someone sitting alone or upset one day–take notice and be careful to listen! Is there some way you might help ease the burden? Pay close attention!
Name some ways you can help lighten the load on your family - offer to help. Talk about some ways others can share any burdens that might be weighing you down - ask for help! (That’s what families do!)
Prayer: Jesus, our heaviest burden was our sin (the thoughts and words and actions that keep us from loving you and ourselves and others well). Thank You for carrying our burden of sin to the cross so that we could be free from the weight of our sin. Help us to share in carrying others' burdens to show Your great love for them.