Senior High Gangway's Valentine Party

What a fun night! We played the game Famous Couples. The students where give a heart with a name and they had to find their match. Jack had to find Jill. Romeo had to find Juliet. The boys had to initiate and could not state their name nor use the girls name. It was a like a Junior High dance. Then we played the game "Hunny do you love me?" A student had to ask another student, "Hunny, if you love me then smile." The other student had to respond without smiling, "I do love you, but I just can't smile." If they smiled, then they had to go ask another person the same question. Needless to say we had tons of smile and tons of fun.
We then allowed the students to have some snacks that we had placed out (it was quite the spread of chips, candy, cake and drinks). They only had to follow three rules. First they could not get any food for themselves. Second they could not ask anyone to get them food. Finally, they could not plan, connive, scheme or partner up with anyone to get food. As you can imagine, there were many groans and complaints. There were even a few rule breakers. But after a few moments most of the students had some snacks and drinks. It was time to share the lesson for the night.
The lesson tonight was the second part of a two part lesson on love. Last week we asked if love is a gift or a disposition we had to develop. We concluded it is both. The snack game was used to demonstrate how we are all self focused. We all think of ourselves first. The process that took place for some of the students during the snack game was: I want . . . I will ask someone to get me . . . I will plan to get . . . Maybe I will just get someone else something and hope I get something . . . I will get more for other people. What began as an activity to see what they could get for themselves turned into a opportunity to serve others. I grant that not all the students went through this process. But as I shared this process they got to see the point. The Bible calls us to be others-focused. I read Galatians 5:13-14, "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Then we closed in prayer.