So many gods, so many creeds,

So many paths that wind and wind,

While just the art of being kind

Is all the sad world needs.

— Ella Wheeler Wilcox, American poet (1850-1919)

This session introduces kindness as an intangible gift that can be freely given every day. The Wonder Box holds a golden ruler that represents one of Jesus' timeless teachings: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The Golden Rule can be found in many faith traditions. In the story, "The Very Short Rule," the children hear a parable in which Jesus teaches that following all the rules in the Bible will not necessarily make someone a good person. If we are to follow only one rule, Jesus taught, we should be kind to others in the same way that we would want others to be kind to us.

Goals

This session will:

• Introduce kindness as an intangible gift
• Explore the Golden Rule and reveal opportunities for children to use it
• Show how kindness is a way of living our Unitarian Universalist Principles
• Demonstrate that authentic welcoming must include kindness
• Engage participants in the spiritual practices of opening and closing rituals.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Explore the value of the Golden Rule
• Create a "Golden Ruler" to represent being kind to others
• Learn how kindness is an important part of welcome
• Hear a story in which Jesus explains the Golden Rule.