All around the room are pictures of different people
I'd like you to take a pen and go look at each picture and as you look at
it I'd like you to write down what the picture makes you think of
Use Single words...please be honest...try not to be rude
[Give a few minutes]
Middle bit
[Read out some of the statement written on the pictures]
What do you think about this?
What does this comment mean?
Do you agree / disagree with this?
etc.
Why do you think we give people these labels?
Where do they come from?
The way people act
From the people you hand out with
Parents
What people say about you
How do these labels effect the way you treat people?
Can be these labels have a good influence?
[Talk about labels in the context of boyfriend / girlfriend stuff]
Bible bit
The Bible tells us that Jesus came across all kinds of people
Prostitutes
People horrible illnesses - people would have nothing to do with them in
case they got ill
Tax collectors - people didn't like them because they took your money
Criminals
Fisher men, "priests" etc.
People like you and me...
For example...Luke 19:1-10. Zacchaeus... Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his
name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see
Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn't see over
the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could
see Jesus when he came by.
When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down.
Today is my day to be a guest in your home." Zacchaeus scrambled out of the
tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him.
Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does
he have getting cozy with this crook?"
Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically,
"Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I'm caught cheating, I
pay four times the damages."
Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son
of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost."
How did Jesus treat Zacchaeus?
Unlike allot of us, Jesus is interested in every single person
It doesn't matter what label we're given, what colour you are...
Whether people say you are bad or good...
A geek or the most popular person in the school...it doesn't matter...
It doesn't even matter if you don't care about God...
If that's true, what does that mean?
there is always somebody there for us
End bit
[Option 1]
[Hand out the baggage labels / pens]
To finish I'd like you to spend a moment thinking about
the people you label...maybe you do that without thinking...who do you
struggle with?
or the labels people put on you - what are they?
as a way of praying, I'd like you to write those thoughts down on the
label I've just given you...
[Option 2 - note for this to work you'll probably need to have several
copies of the same pictures]
To finish I'd like to invite you to go and pick a photo from the wall
chose one that you can relate to / connect with...
or maybe just pick one that you struggle with...or don't like...
[Give them a moment to choose - invite each person to say why they
picked it]
[Finish with a prayer - inviting God to help us see others are he see's
us]
