source: www.youthwork-practice.com | 2000 Games, Devotions, Themes, Ideas and more for Youth Work
only for private using

The rose!

Roses: A symbol of love and affection

Have you received a rose as a gift before? Or have you presented someone with a rose before?

Giving someone a rose means giving them love. It signalises that you like that person.
Let the flowers do the talking, as it goes.

What is so special about roses? What do you think about when you hear the word “rose”?

A rose is beautiful
Roses smell particularly good…
but you can injure yourself on a rose if you do not watch out.
Roses need special care and must be professionally cut and cared for. The wrong care will kill the roses. That can happen very quickly if the roses are kept in the wrong place.
Roses, especially red roses, are a sign of love and affection.
A nicely presented bunch of roses in a visible place, give the surroundings much more warmth.
If roses do not have any water they wilt (just like all plants)!

I would like to compare a rose to Jesus.

Jesus loves us and presented himself for you!
Jesus spilt his blood!
Jesus makes us an offer to accept his love (accept the rose as a symbol of love)!
Belief in Jesus makes us happy! We feel comfortable in his presence. (Scent of a rose)
If you do not watch out in your faith, it can sometimes go wrong (watch out for thorns)!
God, our Father, the rose gardener, cares for us and cuts of the things we do not need so that the rose is presented in all its glory (be a testimony, passing on the roses, letting others take part, …). He also makes sure that we are in the right environment and not “influenced” by negative factors.
There is of course, the possibility to accept the rose and take it with you or you might smell the rose and then walk away. The scent only has an effect on us for a short time.

Possibilities for integrating the presentation of the rose in a church service or in the group:

I would give every child a rose. This is a symbol for accepting God’s gift. Make the kids aware that, just like they can experience the scent and beauty of the rose, they can also feel and experience Jesus. This can only happen if they accept the rose and wear it. The children can also choose to take a second rose and present it to someone who means a lot to them. This would then be a symbol that the child wants this person to feel and experience God’s love.