Everyone is different

To consider difference and the idea that God loves each one of us individually.

by Penny Hollander

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To consider difference and the idea that God loves each one of us individually.

Preparation and materials

• You will need a vase of different types of flowers.
• Optional: Display the Bible quotations (point 3).

Assembly

1. Ask the children if they can tell you in what ways we are all the same? Expected responses will relate to human characteristics – legs, arms, eyes, nose, etc. (NB be sensitive to any physically disabled children); human needs – sleep, exercise, love, food, water, etc.; emotions – happy, sad, etc.
   
   Display the vase of flowers in a prominent position, and ask similar questions about the characteristics of the different flowers.
2. Now ask what the differences are among human beings: appearances (including ethnicity, shape, size), beliefs and ideas, outlook on life (e.g. is a cup half full or half empty?). Ask children of different ages and sizes, etc., to come out to the front to show some of their different characteristics (or you could use adults present if preferred).
3. Explain that Christians believe that God recognizes all our similarities and differences and loves us just the same. Use the quotations from the Bible to show God’s love for us all as individuals (they can be displayed at the front at the outset of assembly).
   
   ‘God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son’ (John 3.16).
   
   ‘God does not forget…in fact, he even counts every hair on your head’ (Luke 12.7).
   
   God doesn’t expect us to be all the same. There are lots of stories in the Bible which show us that. For example, Jesus called 12 very different disciples, he included both men and women in his followers, he loved people who were hated by others, like Zacchaeus the cheating tax collector (Luke 19), and people who were disapproved of, like the woman who used her precious expensive perfume to wash Jesus’ feet rather than giving money to the poor (Matthew 26.6-10).
4. It is a basic Christian belief that God recognizes how we all look different and have different talents. Point to the vase of flowers – make the link with the different characteristics of the flowers: height, colour, flowering times, etc.
5. Finally, ask the children to think of and suggest people with talents of different kinds, such as individuals in school, at home, in the wider community - including teachers!

Time for reflection

Reflection:

Think about the similarities and differences between you and the person sitting next to you now, and/or in your class. In what ways are you similar and how are you different from each other?

Prayer:
Dear God,
Help us to recognize and appreciate that all of us are different,
and yet we share the bond of being human beings.
All of us are appreciated by you for what we are,
and all of us have our place,
regardless of gender, race, beliefs, ideas and appearance.
Amen.

Song/music

‘There are hundreds of sparrows’ (Come and Praise, 15)