This month I am excited to provide you with this Bible study focused on the topic of love using 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. (If you are interested in a Bible study written specifically for you and your spouse on the topic of love, you can find one here.) But now it’s time to gather your family, your Bibles, and a few extra supplies and dig into the Word together.
Opening Activity
Begin by playing a game of reverse hide and seek with your family (also known as “sardines”). In this game, one person hides and everyone else seeks. After the person has found his hiding spot, the rest of the family splits up and searches for him. When someone finds him, he quietly joins him in his hiding spot. The game ends when everyone in the family is in the same hiding spot . . . smashed together like sardines.
When everyone is squished together, say: “It’s a good thing we all love each other, isn’t it? How do we show each other love? How can you tell if someone loves you? Today we are going to talk about what the Bible has to say about love.”
Lesson Time
Beforehand, gather the lids to several pans. Hand these out to your family members and say, “I want to hear some beautiful music. Will you help me?” Have your family members bang the lids together like cymbals. Allow this to continue for awhile and then say, “Wait a minute! That wasn’t very beautiful! In fact, that was rather noisy and annoying. In today’s Bible passage, Paul talks about noisy cymbals. Let’s read to find out more.”
Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. Use the following questions to aid in your discussion:
- What did Paul compare to noisy cymbals?
- According to these verses, how important is it to have love?
- Why do you think love is so important?
Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Use the following questions to aid in your discussion:
- What characteristics of love do you see listed here? What do each of these characteristics mean?
- Which characteristic is easiest for you to show? Which one is hardest? Why?
- How can you improve on the way you show love to others?
Give everyone a piece of red or pink construction paper. Have each person cut hearts out of the construction paper. Write one of the characteristics of love on the front side of each heart. Then flip the hearts over and work together to write or draw ways that you can show that characteristic to each other. For example, you might draw a picture of someone waiting patiently for his turn or write “I will wait patiently when mom is talking on the phone” on the back of the heart that says “patience.” When you have finished each heart, put a hole in the top of each of them and string them all together to make a mobile. Hang this mobile somewhere in your house to remind all of you what it means to show love to one another.
Additional Activities
1. Make homemade pizza in the shape of a heart. Use the toppings to spell out the word “love” or some of the characteristics of love from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Discuss ways to show these characteristics as you are eating the pizza!
2. Use 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 as a guide to make homemade Valentine’s Day cards to send to friends and family members.
3. Try memorizing 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Write or type the verses out on a piece of paper. Read the verses together and then cover the words with a candy heart, one word at a time, until the whole verse is covered and your family is able to say the verses from memory. Then have fun eating the candy hearts together! (If you have really young children, they can get involved in this by being the ones to put the candy hearts over the words).
I hope you enjoyed this Bible Study with your family! Feel free to add any other suggestions in the comments below . . . and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Cheri
Cheri Gamble 
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