With the 'Common Bond' page, students find someone else in the class and sign the box. Can also get them to write the answer in each box. Can either do this as a bingo style activity, or how many can be done in a time period.
Something to think about
What is a clique?
An exclusive group of people with a common purpose.
How do they develop?
When we hand around and befriend people who are just like us. We become so comfortable with a group that we make no effort to get to know others.
Biblical Exposition
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
Did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant.
Philippians 2:3-6
Another translation of these verses reads;
Don't be selfish, don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others better than yourself. Don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others too and in what they are doing. Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God. (TLB)
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praises to God
Romans 15:7
What are the qualities and attitudes that the Bible urges us to display in our friendships?
Not acting selfishly, being humble, put others first, accepting others unconditionally.
What is the worst thing that could happen if you tried to befriend someone outside your present circle of friends?
What's the best thing that could happen?
Share a time when someone had to take a risk, reached out, and made a new friend; when circumstances forced them out of their cliques and they made a new friend; or when they had got to know someone they thought they wouldn't like and discovered that they did like.
Something to think about:
Charlie and tom went to a theme park. Charlie enjoyed one of the rides so much that when Tom suggested that they go to another area of the park, Charlie wouldn't go. He just wanted to ride the same ride over and over again. He knew it - he didn't want to try out any other rides.
Would Charlie really have fun. Of course, but what about all the other fun he would miss by not exploring the rest of the part and venturing into the unknown?
You may have a close-knit group of friends. Great! But don't miss all the potential new friends by ignoring others and hanging onto only those in your clique. Be bold. Be adventurous. Take a risk. You never know, you might make a great new friend. And even if you don't, you still haven't lost your old buddies.
Closing Prayer
We thank you God for our friends.
Our dear friends.
We anger each other.
We fail each other.
We share this earth, this tender life,
this precious time.
Such richness. Such wilderness.
Together we are blown about.
Together we are dragged along.
All this delight.
All this suffering.
All this forgiving life.
We hold it together
Amen
