Kindness • Treating Others the Way I would want to be Treated
February 2021 • Week 4
Today's Bible story: Hey Brother (Good Samaritan) • Luke 10:25-37
Monthly memory verse: You are God's chosen people. You are holy and dearly loved. So put on tender mercy and kindness as if they were your clothes. Don't be proud. Be gentle and patient. Colossians 3:12 (NIrV)
Life Application: Kindness-Showing others they are valuable by how you treat them
Suggested songs: Who I Am, Indescribable, Good Good Father
Praise & Pray: Sing along with the provided worship videos and pray. Access songs here
What you might pray: "Dear God, you created everyone. You created us all different and unique. Help us today to see how we can show kindness to everyone, even people whom are different from us. In Jesus' name I pray, amen."
Read God's Word together: Luke 10:25-37 (Need a kid-friendly Bible? Check out our suggestions.)
Family Devotional & Discussion
What you do: Watch the complementary video together as a family and discuss today's question.
What you discuss: "In our Bible story today the person that was least expected to help was the Samaritan, but that is the one person who did help the man. Our story shows us that we can be kind to anyone. We can even be kind to someone who is different from you. It is easy to be kind to the people who are like us or the people we already know. How can you be kind to people who are different from you?"
Bible Story Review
What you need: Bible
What you do:
Review the Bible story by saying: Jesus answered the question, "Who is my neighbor?" with a story. Use the "neighbors" question to guide kids to realize that EVERYONE is a neighbor.
- The story started with, "A man was going from Jerusalem to Jericho." What happened next?
- After each sentence kids provide, ask, "What happens next?" until the entire story is reviewed. (If necessary, refer to The Story of the Good Samaritan from the Bible, Luke 10:25-37).
- The Samaritan could have ignored the injured man and walked right on by, but he didn't. How do you feel when someone ignores you or simply doesn't listen to what you have to say?
- How do you feel when someone shows interest in what you are doing or what you have to say?
- Do you think it was hard for the Samaritan to show kindness to the injured man? Why or why not?
- What can make it hard for kids to show kindness to people who are different from them?
- Without naming names, think of someone who is different from you. Maybe they dress differently or their family is very different from yours. Maybe they act differently at school. Whatever the reason, think of someone you don't get along with or don't understand. How could you show this person they are valuable-how would you show them kindness?
- Why might a kid your age be treated unkindly?
- Why might showing kindness to someone make you uncomfortable?
- When you see someone being treated unkindly, maybe it is the annoying kid at school. What does it look like to respond with kindness?
- Is it kind to walk away when you see someone being treated unkindly? Why or why not?
Pray and Bless Your Family
What You Need: No supplies needed
What You Do: Ask for prayer requests.
- Remind kids / family members that they can be kind to people who are different than them.
- Challenge kids / family members to think of one person they know who is different from them.
- Ask, "What could you do to be kind this this person even though they are different from you?"
- Pray for God to help each kid / family member to reach out to that person who is different and be kind to them.
What You Might Pray: "Dear God, thank You for reminding us that KINDNESS matters. Thank You for always treating us with kindness and love. It shows us that we are valuable and important to You. We want to do the same for the people around us. So please help us to [Bottom Line] be kind to people who are different from you. Help us look for ways to show kindness to EVERYONE, not just the people closest to us or the people most like us. Thank You for sending Jesus to show us just how valuable we are to You. We love You. In Jesus' name we pray, amen."
Additional Activities
What you need: "Spot the Differences" Activity Page (DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE), pencils, Classroom: clipboards
What you do: Give each kid / family member a "Spot the Differences" Activity Page, a pencil, and clipboard.
- Encourage the kids / family members to study the page and circle the differences between the two pictures.
- As they're working, ask the following questions:
- What do you think it means to love or show kindness to your neighbor?
- WHO is your neighbor?
- Why do you think it's sometimes easier to show kindness to our friends than it is to show kindness to others who we don't know as well?
- What are some reasons someone might be unkind to someone else? Have you ever seen that happen?
- Why would someone look the other way and not try to help in that situation?
- Let the kids / family members compare their pages to see if they spotted all the differences on the page.
What you say: "One of the things that's probably MOST important to remember when it comes to kindness is that kindness is for EVERYONE. It's for the people you spend the most time with and for the people you don't know well at all. It's for your best friend and the quiet kid in your class. It's for all the kids who LOVE dogs and the kids who prefer cats. It's for the kids who cheer for the Broncos and those who root for the Raiders. You don't have to be best friends with everyone, but you do need to be kind to everyone. Since EVERYONE is valuable to God, we show God's love to others when we value them, too. So don't be like the priest or Levite who walked right by the hurt man, refusing to show kindness. Be like the Samaritan and choose to [Bottom Line] be kind to people who are different from you."
What you need: "Never-Ending Love" Activity Page (DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE), Bibles, scissors, paper, markers
What you do: Use "Never-Ending Love" Activity Page to familiarize yourself with how to make an accordion heart.
- Look up and read this month's memory verse Colossians 3:12 together.
- Provide each kid / family member with a piece of paper, a marker, and scissors.
- Show the kids / family members how to fold and cut their paper to make accordion hearts.
- Encourage kids / family members to write the memory verse across their accordion hearts (about 1 sentence per heart).
- Review the memory verse together again.
What you say: We are learning a LOT about kindness this month. It's important to show others they are valuable to us by the way we treat them because EVERYONE is valuable to God. Everyone has been made in HIS image. So when we show kindness to others, we let them know they are important to God and to us. Kindness matters. It matters to the people closest to you and to the people you don't know well at all. It matters to the people who love chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and the people who think sherbet is WAY better. It matters to the people who look and talk and act like you, and it matters to the people who look nothing, talk nothing, and act nothing like you. EVERYONE is important and valuable to God. That's why you need to put on kindness like your clothes and choose to [Bottom Line] be kind to people who are different from you."
