Does Love Have a Price?
What makes something valuable?
by Tessa Mann (revised, originally published in 2002)
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To explore the idea that we cannot put a price on love.
Preparation and materials
- Have available some images of items for which you know the price. The prices quoted for the images below are correct at the time of publication, but it is best if you can check for the most up-to-date information before the assembly:
- Nike trainers (£32.00), available at: https://tinyurl.com/y9atvbo9
- a loaf of bread (£0.90), available at: https://tinyurl.com/y8hmc9l2
- a skateboard (£24.95), available at: https://tinyurl.com/y7ce6esa
- a tub of chocolates (£5.00), available at: https://tinyurl.com/y7kcj2dz
- If possible, bring something to the assembly that doesn’t look as if it is worth much, but is valuable to you in some way.
- You will also need two sheets of paper, two pens and a large price tag or luggage label with LOVE written on one side and JESUS on the reverse.
Assembly
- Ask for four volunteers and divide them into two pairs. Give each pair of children a sheet of paper and a pen.
Show the image of the Nike trainers.
Ask the pairs to decide how much they think the item costs and to write down the amount on the sheet of paper. Then, ask them to show the sheet to the rest of the assembly before you reveal the correct price.
Show the remaining images and repeat the steps above. - Explain that putting a price on things isn’t always easy. Some of us consider one thing to be valuable, whereas others value something different.
If available, show the item you brought in that doesn’t look as if it is worth much, but is valuable to you in some way.
Point out that lots of things we buy, like designer-label clothes, trainers, toys advertised on television and so on, have very high prices.
Often, when we think about how valuable something is, we think about how much money it costs. However, there are many things that are valuable, but may cost no money at all! - Ask the children to think of a time when someone has been kind to them. Ask them to share some examples.
Listen to a range of responses. - Ask the children to put a price on the kind actions that other people have done for them by asking them how much each act of kindness is worth.
- Give the children the following scenarios and ask them to put a price on them: 50p, £1 or £5.
Jenny has lost her reading folder. Her friend misses play time to help her look for it.
How much is that worth?
Kwame has been out playing. It is wet and cold. When he gets home, his brother makes him a mug of hot chocolate without being asked.
How much is that worth?
Manjula has gone out to play, but falls over and hurts herself. Her friends quickly run to help her and then run to get an adult to help.
How much is that worth? - Ask the children to compare the prices of the items at the beginning of the assembly with the prices they have attached to the acts of kindness. Discuss why it is so hard to put a price on kindness and love.
Time for reflection
Point out that the most valuable things in life often don’t have a normal price tag. Instead, their price tag reads simply ‘LOVE’.
Show the price tag with LOVE written on it.
Explain that Christians believe that God showed how much he loved the world by sending Jesus.
Show the reverse of the price tag with JESUS written on it.
God didn’t sit there and wonder if we were worth that kind of gift. He gave us Jesus because he loves us. He didn’t count the cost. We have just had Christmas, where we remember the gift of Jesus to the world. We will soon be moving on to Easter, when Christians believe Jesus showed his love for the world by giving his life.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the times when people have shown us kindness.
Thank you for people who love us and are always there to help.
Thank you for loving us.
Thank you for sending Jesus into the world.
Please help us to show others the same kind of love.
Amen.
Song/music
‘The prayer of St Francis (Make me a channel of your peace)’ (Come and Praise, 147)
