Friendship

The Virtue of Friendship

Scripture: “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vain glory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3

What is friendship:

Friendship means loving others the way Jesus loves us. Friends are people we spend time with, who make us happy, and who help us when we need it. God gave us friends to share His love.

God wants us to treat others as we would want to be treated. If you want people to treat you fairly, be kind to you, include you in games, and to share things with you, then you should do the same.

Did you know that Jesus is our very best friend? He loves us no matter what, He listens to our prayers, and He is always with us. Because Jesus is our friend, He shows us how to be a good friend to others.

Story Time: Jesus and His Friends

(John 15:12–15, adapted for children grades Kindergarten through 2nd grade)

Jesus had many friends. He liked to spend time with them— talking, walking, eating and praying together. His closest friends were the twelve apostles.

One day, Jesus said something very special to His friends:

“This is My commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Jesus was telling them that true friends love each other, share with each other, and even make sacrifices for one another.

Isn’t that amazing? Jesus calls us His friends! Jesus loves us, He listens to us when we pray, He forgives us when we make mistakes, and He is always with us.

How to Be a Good Friend

• Kindness: ‘Treat others the way you want to be treated’ (Matthew 7:12 adapted for children). Share, smile, and include others.
• Respect: Listen when your friends are talking, and don’t make fun of them.
• Helping:Good friends help when someone needs it.
• Forgiveness: If a friend makes a mistake, forgive them—Jesus forgives us too.
• Prayer: We can pray for our friends and ask God to bless them.

Ways to show Friendship:

1. Be a Good Friend

• Say hi to everyone.
• Share toys or crayons.
• Think of others’ feelings (don’t make fun or leave people out).
  (Role-play: One child shares crayons; another child is kind when someone makes a mistake.)

2. Choosing Good Friends

• Good friends are kind.
• Good friends never ask you to hurt feelings or break rules.
  (Ask: “Would a good friend tell you to be mean? No!”)

3. Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated

• If you want others to include you in games, then you should include them.
  (Act it out: Invite someone to play a game who is sitting alone.)

4. True Friends are Supportive

• Friends help you and cheer you on.
• Ask: “Can you think of a time you were a good friend? How did it feel?”

Activities

• Have children write or draw pictures of their friends.
• Explain: “Each night, choose two friends from your list and say a prayer for them.”
• Share a simple checklist (kind, shares, listens, includes, helps).
• Ask: “Which one did you do today?” (e.g., “I shared at recess.”)
• Daily Reflection: At bedtime, ask: “How did you show friendship today?”