I used this super simple object lesson in Chapel the other day to demonstrate God’s love. It is perfect for illustrating a Bible lesson about love for kids, and for making your Bible lessons more interactive.
This makes a great “love others” object lesson, where you can encourage the kids to talk about how we can love others and how love can “spread” from person to person.
This also makes a great object lesson about sharing God’s love. God loves us first (the big heart), and so we can love others. When we do that, we are showing God’s love to the people around us.
My favorite Bible verses to pair with this object lesson about love are:
- 1 John 4:19: We love because he loved us first.
- 1 John 4:12: If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
What you need for this object lesson:
- paper towel
- Sharpie or other permanent black marker
- red marker
- glass of water
God’s Love Object Lesson
For this object lesson, the first thing that you need to do is to draw 4 (or more) black hearts (in outline) on a piece of paper towel. Make the bottom heart the largest. And make sure that the smaller hearts are above the big heart. If they are too far off to the side, the color will not spread to them.
*Also make sure that you are using a black permanent marker (like a Sharpie) and a regular red marker. If the red marker is a Sharpie or other permanent marker, it will not spread.*
Ask the kids some questions about love. Here are some examples. Let your imagination run wild with this part.
- Who do you love?
- How can we show love to others?
- Did you know that God loves you?
- How do we know that God loves us?
- How do you feel when someone is kind to you?
We know that God loves us because he created us; he promises to be with us, even during the hard times (Isaiah 41:10); and he promises to make all the broken things better in the end (Romans 8:28 and Revelation 21:5). When we turned away from God, he sent his son Jesus to rescue us and to bring us closer to him again, where we belong (John 3:16).
When we show love to others, we are spreading God’s love. His love can fill our hearts, and then when we show love to others (by being kind to them, or helping them, or complimenting them), and that love can fill their hearts too. At this point you can ask: How do you feel when someone shows love to you?
Now try the colored heart experiment. Color in the big heart on the bottom of your paper towel, if you haven’t already. Say: Imagine that this heart is you. Your heart is full of love. What happens when you show love to others? What do you think will happen when I dip this paper towel in the water?
*Dip the edge of the paper towel in the water. Wait and watch the color spread from one heart to the other hearts.
When we show love to others, we are sharing God’s love, and the love that is in our hearts can spread to them.
Bible Lesson on God’s Love
You can use this object lesson to discuss any number of Bible passages about God’s love. My favorite verses to pair with this object lesson are 1 John 4:19, “We love because he loved us first,” and 1 John 4:12, “If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
When we show love to others, that is God living in us. God sent his Holy Spirit to live in us (1 John 4:13). And we can love others because God loved us first. Our hearts need to be filled with love in order to share that love.
Bible Verses about God’s Love for Kids
Here are some of my favorite Bible verses about God’s love for kids – and some Bible verses about our love for God and for each other.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
We love because he loved us first. – 1 John 4:19
Love is patient. Love is kind. – 1 Corinthians 13:4
A friend loves at all times. – Proverbs 17:17
Let love and faithfulness never leave you. – Proverbs 3:3
Let all you do be done in love. – 1 Corinthians 16:14
Love never fails. – 1 Corinthians 13:84
If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. – 1 John 4:12
Love your neighbor as yourself. – Mark 12:31
How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. – Ephesians 3:18
Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God. – Romans 8:39
The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. – Psalm 32:10
For more Bible verses about love – and God’s love for us – be sure to check out these Bible Verses about Love.
Want a cute 1 Corinthians 13 craft about love to do with your kids? You can grab the template for this cute love Bible craft here.
You are very creative!
Thank you!
Thanks for this wonderful lesson of God’s love for the kids.
I’m glad you like it, Deborah. 🙂
I tried this experiment with toilet paper and paper towel, didn’t do anything 😐😟
Hi Trista. I find this works best with paper towel. Toilet paper disintegrates faster. Makes sure that your hearts are near the bottom, and just dip the bottom of the paper towel in water (not up to the hearts, but close). As the water “climbs” up, it brings the color with it. I think I also used Sharpie for the black and regular marker for the red. (Make sure you’re not using marker that doesn’t bleed for the red.)
LOVE this object lesson for Children’s Church. We used it for ages 4-10 to go along with 1John 4:19. Someone else mentioned that you should use a black Sharpie to draw the hearts, but to use a regular red marker to fill in the big heart. I found the same thing after trying it using black and red Sharpies the first time.
Thank you for an awesome lesson!
I’m glad you liked this, Kathleen! I’ve updated the instructions to make it more clear that you need a black permanent marker and a red non-permanent marker. 🙂
Visual learners, which most kids and adults are! Standing ovations 👏🏽 I am so excited to implement this. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us!
Blessing.
Angela
Thanks so much for your encouraging words Angela! I hope this lessons blesses your community.