David C Cook COVID-19 Response

Relationships 101

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Materials Needed:

  • Internet access

As your group meets, ask if anyone of them know of someone who has had to cancel a wedding or drastically changed their wedding plans due to the pandemic. Allow your student to share about stories they’ve heard online.

Whether a couple takes their vows privately or in front of a large crowd, a wedding celebrates love as it signifies that a couple is committed to a covenant of marriage—a lifelong commitment of love which requires support, honor, and faithfulness. 

The story of one couple’s marriage demonstrates this kind of relationship. Ian and Larissa had been dating about 10 months when he was in an accident which resulted in severe brain injuries. Much to the surprise of many, Larissa decided her love for Ian ran deep, and they were married.

Share the following video [9:25; although this video is long, it is well worth viewing.]:
2014 Update: The Story of Ian and Larissa        

  • How is this love story different than those portrayed in many movies or other media? (Answers will vary but may include: Their love for each other seems driven by selflessness rather than self-gratification. Their relationship is not about what they can get out of it; it is complicated and sacrifices have to be made.)

This standard is one we can apply to all of our relationships—relationships with our parents, friends, and anyone else God puts in our lives.

  • Do you see the relationships in your life as marked by support, honor, and faithfulness or would you say that something else drives them? (Your students may feel very vulnerable as they discuss this; be sure to acknowledge that for many of us there is some element of selfishness involved in our relationships as we want to see our own needs met. Share your own vulnerability in this relationship analysis to make the conversation a safe place to share.)
  • Who is your personal real-life example of someone who supports, honors, or stays faithful to you and others? (Accept all reasonable answers.)

How different the world would be if all of our relationships looked like Ian and Larissa’s! Our relationships matter to God—let’s see what God has to say about how we treat each other.

Additional resources:
What Larissa and Ian Want the World to Know | Belief | Oprah Winfrey Network (4:09):

 

Looking for Steps 2 & 3?

You can find Steps 2 and 3 in your teacher’s guide. To purchase a teacher’s guide, please visit: Bible-in-Life or Echoes.

Materials Needed:

  • Paper strips (tissue wrapping paper if possible)
  • Pens/pencils

Spread the word

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