Throughout history, God’s people have followed “The Great Commandment” that Jesus laid out in Mark 12:30-32. Put simply, this two part command instructs us to love God and love others. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Abolitionists loved their neighbors by writing letters, penning theological arguments, speaking and arguing for freedom, circulating petitions, bringing lawsuits, hiding and transporting refugees, and even by fighting for freedom.
Teach your kids about Christian history with the Who What Why series for 7-11 year olds!
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Verse
Our kids need to know about the history of the abolition movement–and about the arguments for abolition that came straight from Scripture!
My narrative theology and history book for 7-11 year olds from Christian Focus Publications, Why Did Slavery End?, is a fun way for your kids to learn about the Christian fight to end slavery across the globe. Kids will read about the end of slavery by region. They will also read about the biblical arguments against chattel slavery, and the biblical arguments for the imago Dei–that all humans are made in the image of God.
In the ESV, Mark 12:30-32 says:
“‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.”
The abolitionists believed they were to love God and love their neighbors as themselves, even when that was difficult and demanded sacrifice. During the time of the abolitionists, only one out of every twenty-three people was free. In the world your child is growing up in today, ninety-nine out of every one hundred people is free. The abolitionists had something to do with that! They worked hard to teach others what God’s Word says about his people, about loving others, and about the freedom of each human soul.
Why Did Slavery End?
Slavery has been around for a long time. In the Bible, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, and the Israelites were slaves in Egypt until God freed them. Even much more recently, people were kidnapped and made to work. For a while, Christians ignored that slavery is wrong and pretended that enslaved people were not their neighbors. But a lot of Christians realized they were wrong, and between 1688 and 1888 AD there was a big fight to put a stop to slavery. This is the story of these Christians who loved their neighbors and how they fought to free them.
Have you ever ignored a dirty sock on the bathroom floor, stepping around it for days? People do that with sin, too. But sin is much worse than a filthy sock. Sin violates God’s laws and separates us from him. Sin hurts other people–it is the opposite of love.
Why Did Slavery End?, Danika Cooley (Christian Focus Publications, 2023), page 16
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Craft
Kids learn through story and hands-on activities. Check out this fun video of the Love Your Neighbor as Yourself craft!
Your Love Thy Neighbor Craft Supplies
- Paper Plate
- Cardstock (colored and white)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
- Printable Templates with Instructions
- Don’t forget this fun book that will help your kids learn all about the biblical argument for abolition, and the history of slavery ending: Why Did Slavery End?
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Love Thy Neighbor | Instructions
Your child’s representation of home–where neighbors are sure to be close by–is a great way to help them consider what they learned about loving your neighbor as yourself as they read Why Did Slavery End? from the Who What Why series!
1) Print your templates and labels.
Print and cut out the neighborhood house templates and verse frame on cardstock.
2) Assemble your love your neighbor house.
Print the template pages from the step-by-step instructions and cut out the pieces.
Lay the template pieces over the cardstock in colors for the house, sun, and two trees as shown above. Trace the pieces on the cardstock and cut out the pieces.
Glue the door and window onto the front of the large square to create the house.
Glue the roof onto the house, then glue the chimney behind the roof. Cut a small round door handle and glue it to the door.
3) Assemble your sun and trees.
Glue the round circle into the middle of the sun rays to create a sun.
Choose the shape of trees you would like. Cut two trees and two trunks. Glue a trunk behind each tree.
4) Create the background.
Using the template, cut out a green half-circle and a blue half-circle. Glue both onto the paper plate to create a background scene.
5) Assemble your love thy neighbor scene.
6) Apply the Love God Love Your Neighbor frame.
Glue your “The Great Commandment” frame to the bottom of your frame.
Your child can display their Love Your Neighbor as Yourself craft
to help them remember what they’ve learned about history from
Why Did Slavery End?,
and the rest of the Who What Why Series Christian history books!
Learn more about the Who What Why series and get your FREE Abolition Lapbooks here.
Bible Resources for Your Kids
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Christian Biographies for Kids | Christian History for Kids | Theology for Kids
Christian History Matters for Our Kids.
History matters. Now, more than ever, we see how important it is for our children to know and understand history and the Bible.
Here’s why:
- God is the sovereign ruler of all things. It’s important for our kids to see his hand in the history of nations and in the lives of both peasants and kings.
- Christian history is the story of our family history. Our kids get to see how people who love Jesus follow him.
- Understanding history can help our kids learn historic and biblical theology. They learn what the Bible says and what that means for us. They also see when the study of Scripture has taken important turns that have changed the Church.
- Reading Christian biographies and history can be a wonderful way for kids to think outside their own time and culture. God’s Church spans centuries and includes people from every nation.
- Christian biographies help kids consider their own faith, walk with Jesus, and the impact their witness may one day have on others–and on history.
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