"TEACHER'S NOTES" for the Worksheet:
A Focus on "Love for Neighbor"

This worksheet was written to encourage people (such as in a Bible study or youth group) to make personal evaluations of their lives. Since different groups have different needs, you may need to modify some of the questions on the worksheet to fit your own situation.

WHO IS MY "NEIGHBOR"? (Defining who we should love.)

For some people, the primary focus of "love" involves marriage and romance. Though this may be important (in the proper context), it is but a tiny fragment of the whole concept - and not the primary focus of the Bible. The "love" emphasized in the Bible is a type of love we must have for all people - not just for our spouse. It involves all of life, and even applies to the way we relate to our enemies!

This application of "love" to enemies should be stressed, because it is the most difficult application. If you succeed in having love for your enemies, you will most likely succeed in having love in every other relationship you have with people - even in marriage! If you succeed in having this love, it will mean that you truly are a "son (or daughter) of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:43-47).]

WHAT LOVE IS / DOES (etc.)

This section is written for use as a "personal" worksheet, so that people can apply each characteristic to specific situations in their own lives. It may be good to first look through this section as a group, and allow people to suggest typical ways of how the various characteristics could be applied. Then the people could as individuals apply the principles to situations in their own lives.

 

APPLICATION QUESTION: "To what extent are these characteristics present in your life? (etc.)"

Everyone should say that there is room for improvement. None of us are perfect in everything!

Dennis Hinks © 1998, 2004
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