For children:

Yes, I love you very much. I know that [another child] called you a poopy-head. That makes me very sad. That was not OK. But I am also sad when you hurt someone. It makes God sad whenever someone is hurt. It is never OK to [hit/bite/kick/say mean words/other]. We want you to use your words. Say why you are upset.

But you never have to be afraid that God will not love you. God will always love you. I will always love you too. Nothing you do could ever change that. There’s a special word for when we do something that hurts someone else and God still loves us: “forgiveness.”

Because God loves you and forgives you, God wants you to have a good life that is full of love. God has given all of us — you too — the job of helping take care of everything God made. Our job is to treat other people kindly and try to not hurt them.

But God also does not want anyone to hurt you. If that happens, you can say, “No,” very loudly. Go away from them if you need to. Tell a grown-up you trust (mommy/daddy/a teacher) what is happening and that you do not like it. When things like this happen to me, I talk to someone I trust. And I pray to God about it too. And I remember that God always loves me (and the person who did the bad thing too), no matter what.

So let’s imagine/pretend ... the next time someone upsets you, what can you/we do? Let’s think of lots of good choices!

For adults:

When young children experience or cause hurt, they are often afraid. You can pray Martin Luther’s morning prayer to remind them God is always watching over them. It goes like this:

“I give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you protected me through the night from all harm and danger. I ask that you would also protect me today from sin and all evil, so that my life and actions may please you. Into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me.”

It is important for you to emphasize God’s love above all else (the Lutheran understanding of being saved by grace alone) so children learn to not put human actions above God’s. Children must know that your love doesn’t depend on their actions. As they grow, they can’t afford to question God’s love and forgiveness (for themselves or others).

You can also pray Luther’s evening prayer, which includes the line “And I ask you to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong.” Or you can pray the Lord’s Prayer.