Monday, June 16, 2025

Bottom Line

Love One Another

Scripture

Read John 13:1-7

Devotion 

As a young twenty something, starry-eyed and deep in the honeymoon phase of volunteering with kids at our church, I enthusiastically signed up to chaperone camp that first summer. With flawless optimism (and a convincing picture painted by our kids’ pastor who was grasping for anyone willing to oblige), I was eager to join the cause.

There are a few things that particularly stand out in my memories of that camp experience:

• I did not read the book I had packed. (How adorable that I thought I’d have free time!)
• Even in my twenties, I felt too old to be eating late night pizza with 5th graders at midnight.
• And Caleb.

I’ll never forget Caleb.

He was the kid who challenged every rule, pushed every button, and crossed every single boundary. He wandered away from our group to sneak extra swim time with another group we didn’t even know. He kept leaving his belongings everywhere. And on the bus ride home at the end of the week, we discovered him eating a sandwich from the depths of his backpack that his mom packed for the bus ride TO camp. (Insert vomit emoji.)

There’s no sugar coating it. Caleb was that kid. And you’ll inevitably find yourself encountering your own version of that kid this week. Or maybe more than one. Or if you’re super lucky, you may even end up with an entire group of them— unruly, distracted troublemakers that you simply cannot convince to listen and do the right thing.

But I feel like you probably know where I’m headed next.

We are here to love that kid. In fact, we’re here to love every other human. Because when Jesus chose to wash the feet of His disciples, He was showing us that everyone is deserving of love. And that same Jesus who willingly removed dirty sandals from the feet of His friends to scrub away their gnarly layers of grime and debris would still choose to do the very same thing for you and me. And the kids in your group. And Caleb, too.

This week, you’ll have a unique opportunity to live out the very thing Jesus did. You probably won’t be washing dirty feet. But you will get to set an example for kids, showing them how to love one another by the way you choose to love those around you; especially the most challenging ones. Thankfully, we’re not expected to do this on our own. Before Day 1 gets started, take a moment to talk to God. Ask Him to prepare you for the adventures ahead and equip you with all you need to love like Jesus.

Prayer 

Dear God, we are excited and hopeful as children experience Kids Camp this week! We pray kids will have fun and learn about how much you love them. Tonight, may each child see your loving heart and want to follow your example by putting others first. We pray each child at camp will experience your love and get more and more excited to Live It Out! We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.