Have you ever seen a wrapped present sitting under the tree at Christmas and felt super curious about what was inside? You might tap it, shake it, or try to peek under the tape, but your parents always tell you, “Not yet! Wait until the right time!” If you tear it open early, you ruin the big surprise and lose out on the best part of the experience.

God created sex as a really special, beautiful gift, but just like that Christmas present, He set a specific time and place for it to be opened. God’s plan is for sex to be saved exclusively for marriage between a husband and a wife. It isn’t something dirty or bad, but because it is so incredibly special, God put protective boundaries around it so nobody gets hurt.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

When you hear jokes on the playground, see things on TV, or hear older kids talking about stuff that feels confusing, God wants you to protect your heart and mind. Winning at this means respecting your own body and respecting others. Your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives, which means it is valuable, sacred, and worth guarding!

Here’s a great life hack for when you encounter confusing stuff online or at school: don’t try to figure it out alone or keep it a secret. Instead, go straight to your parents or a trusted adult and ask them your questions. When we honor God with our bodies and choices, we show Jesus’ love and walk in the absolute best path He created for us.

Talk About It

  1. What is the best surprise gift you have ever had to wait patiently to open?
  2. What verse did we read about our bodies being a temple of the Holy Spirit, and where is it found in the Bible?
  3. Parents, when you were kids, who was someone you could go to when you had awkward or hard questions?
  4. Why can it feel hard or weird to talk about these kinds of topics, and how can Jesus give us courage to talk to our parents instead of listening to rumors at school?
  5. What is one practical rule our family can set up to make sure we keep our eyes, minds, and hearts focused on things that honor God this week?