Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom, did you see the posters Jim drew for Vacation Bible School?" asked Jeanie as she helped her mother weed the flower beds. "They're really cool! And Tara's good at explaining things, so she's going to be a teacher's assistant in Aunt Renee's class. But me! I can't do anything except croak a bit for the song time and play dumb games with the kids."

 

"Singing and games are an important part of VBS," Mom said, "and you don't croak. You sing very well."

 

Jeanie sighed. "I bet God won't be impressed with what I have to offer," she said.

 

"Jeanie, that's just not true," began Mom. She was interrupted by a squeal from little Billy, who was hurrying across the lawn toward them.

 

"Me made present for Mommy!" called Billy. Clutched in his soil- stained little hands was a small pot. It was half filled with sand. Billy had stuck a pink flower and a handful of leaves into the sand. Jeanie grinned.

 

Mom watched Billy run toward them with a huge smile on his face. She turned to Jeanie. "It's a stupid present, isn't it?" she asked solemnly. "That old pot he used is cracked and dirty. The flower is faded and those leaves are all withered. He should have brought me roses from the florist."

 

Jeanie looked horrified. "Mom!" she protested. "Where would he get them? He's only three, and he made that because he loves you so much!"

 

Mom smiled. "You're quite right," she agreed. "Actually, I love Billy's gift, even if it's not perfect. And honey, when we offer gifts to God, with real love in our hearts, don't you think He accepts them in much the same way? Even if they're not perfect?"

 

"You mean like my singing and playing with the kids?" asked Jeanie.

 

Mom nodded as she bent down and took the flower pot Billy offered. "Thank you, Billy Boy!" she cried. "I'll put this right in the middle of our dining room table!" She gave him a hug and then turned back to Jeanie. "I'm glad Billy didn't sit down at the kitchen table and pout about what he couldn't give me," she said. "I'm glad he did what he could. That's what God wants us to do, too. He wants us to do what we can to serve Him."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you do what you can for God? Don't compare what you can do with what others do. Don't spend time wishing you had talents God gave to someone else. He wants you to serve Him with the abilities He gave you. If your heart is filled with love for God and you're offering Him your very best, He accepts your gifts with great joy.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Mark 14:
She hath done what she could.

[Soldier4Christ]

Bryan and his friends drew a large chalk circle on the driveway at Bryan's home. "What's that for?" asked Dad, who was watching.

 

"We're playing hide-'n-seek," answered Bryan, "and this is the safety zone. If we're found, we're safe if we can reach the safety zone before getting tagged."

 

After a while some of the kids began to leave, and Bryan ran over to his father. "Dad," he said, "everybody's going to Michael's house to watch a show. Can I go, too?" Dad asked Bryan a few questions, then shook his head. "Aw, Dad," complained Bryan, "what's wrong with that show? Dustin goes to our church, and he gets to watch it."

 

Dad thought for a moment. "The game you were playing can help me explain," he said. "Think of Satan as being 'it' in your life. Your mother and I help to protect you from him by drawing some boundaries -- we set some limits on what you may do -- and that makes your safety zone. Inside your boundaries, we include things that are good. We leave things that are definitely bad outside the boundaries."

 

"Like drinking and smoking and swearing?" asked Bryan.

 

"Yes, those things certainly are not allowed in your safety zone. But between the very good and the very bad, there's a whole range of activities the Bible doesn't specifically talk about," explained Dad. "Some of them may be better than others, but Mom and I need to pick some point to draw a boundary and say, 'This is as far as you can go.'"

 

"And the show is beyond my safety zone?" asked Bryan.

 

Dad nodded. "Other parents may draw boundaries at different places. They may not be wrong," he said, "but for us, the line is here."

 

"And Satan can't get me if I stay inside the boundaries?" asked Bryan.

 

Dad smiled. "I wish that were true," he said, "but the boundaries can't keep him out entirely. He doesn't have as much freedom within the boundaries, but you need to depend on Jesus for complete protection from Satan."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you wondered why your parents wouldn't let you go to a certain party or movie that your friends were attending? They're not being mean to you. God has given them the responsibility to set boundaries for your safety. Stay within those boundaries.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Peter 5:
The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

[Soldier4Christ]

When the waitress brought the food the Moore family had ordered, ten-year-old Hannah could hardly wait to eat. "Hannah," said Dad, "you seem eager to get started, so why don't you lead us in giving thanks."

 

Hannah glanced around the busy restaurant. "Right now?" she asked. "What if the waitress comes back with the ketchup?"

 

"I'm sure she won't mind waiting," replied Dad, and they all bowed their heads. Hannah glanced around again, then mumbled a quick prayer.

 

"I couldn't even understand what you said," complained Alex.

 

"Me, neither," agreed Diana. "You talked too fast."

 

"I wasn't praying to you," retorted Hannah. "God understood me, and He knows I'm thankful."

 

"That's enough, kids," said Dad. "Hannah's right. God does know what she prayed -- but, honey, Alex and Diana are right, too."

 

Mom nodded. "Do you find it embarrassing to pray?" she asked.

 

"No," said Hannah, "not usually, but everybody is watching us here."

 

"Who is?" asked Alex, looking at the other tables.

 

"Well . . . it feels like everybody is watching us when we all close our eyes," said Hannah. "Why can't we pray with our eyes open?"

 

"It isn't your eyes that God is concerned about," said Dad. "It's your heart. Since you're a Christian, Jesus is a part of your life just like you're part of our family's life. How would you feel if we left you at home because we didn't want to be seen talking to you?"

 

"Pretty bad, I guess," admitted Hannah.

 

"But we would never do that," Mom assured her, "because we love you and we're proud to be with you."

 

Hannah was quiet a moment. I wonder how God feels if I'm ashamed to be seen talking to Him, she thought. Putting down her fork, she asked, "Could I pray again?" Mom and Dad smiled and nodded.

 

"Dear God," began Hannah, and from her heart she thanked God for the food. She finished with a hearty amen.

 

"Amen," repeated another voice beside the table. Hannah looked up and smiled as the waitress handed her the ketchup.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is it hard to acknowledge God and show love for Him when unbelievers are nearby? Do you wonder what they will think? When Jesus suffered and died for you, He didn't worry about what people would think. Never be ashamed of Him!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Timothy 1:
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Staci skipped down the sidewalk toward Grandpa and Grandma's house. Her new glasses felt strange, but she thought they made her look very grown-up. She was amazed that she could see things so much better, like the individual leaves on the trees -- and even the letters on the stop sign at the far corner. Staci laughed in delight. She picked up her pace as she got closer to her grandparents' house and saw Grandpa working in his yard.

 

When Grandpa and Staci went into the house a little later, he grinned at her. "We have one excited girl here, Grandma," he said. Staci happilyshowed Grandma her new glasses.

 

Grandma smiled. "I can remember when I got my first glasses, too," she said. "They make a wonderful difference, don't they?"

 

"And I remember when I got my spiritual glasses," added Grandpa.

 

"Spiritual glasses?" asked Staci. "What's that?"

 

"Well, when people who don't know Jesus read God's Word, it often seems strange to them and they can't understand what it's all about," explained Grandpa. "When you do know Jesus as Savior, it's as though He opens your spiritual eyes -- sort of like those glasses help your eyes. You begin to see -- or to understand -- what He says in His Word."

 

"And that's wonderful," added Grandma. "To see and understand the things of God is to have the best sight of all." She looked at Staci. "Will you leave those glasses on the shelf sometimes, or do you plan to wear them every day?" she asked.

 

Staci laughed at the silly question. "Of course I'll wear them every day," she said. "What good will they do otherwise?"

 

Grandma nodded. "God gives us spiritual sight so we can enjoy the things He has for us every day, too," she advised.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you enjoy spiritual sight every day? Do you think about the things God has said and ask Him to help you understand and apply them to your life? Or do you think that once a week -- probably Sunday -- is often enough to look at what He has to say? Ask God to open your eyes and show you some special lesson or promise each day. Ask Him to show you what you need to do in order to obey Him. Then do it!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 119:18)
Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.

[Soldier4Christ]

Joshua's Sunday school teacher had given the class a written quiz. "Oh, no!" whispered Joshua as he was giving her his paper. "I should have put seven, not five, in this blank. When Daniel's friends were thrown into the furnace, it was heated seven times hotter than usual."

 

"I'll change it for you," said Miss Green as the bell rang. She turned to the class. "Ask God to help you make right choices this week," she said, "and next week be ready to tell about a choice that took courage."

 

That morning, Joshua didn't really listen to the sermon. Instead, he tried to think of something courageous he could do. He looked at his little sister.Maybe I can save her from kidnappers this week, he thought. I'll trip one of them and then . . . naah! That's not gonna happen! I know! I'll rescue Mrs. Smith's big, gray cat if it climbs too high in a tree. Joshua sighed. Only it never does that. So what courageous thing could I do?

 

Joshua had other things on his mind during the next week, and he didn't think about courage again -- not until Saturday morning when he went to the grocery store with his father. The cashier forgot to charge them for one item, so Dad told her about it. "Dad, did that take courage?" asked Joshua as they headed to the car.

 

"No, not really," replied Dad. "It was just the right thing to do -- but I must admit that it often does take courage to do the right thing."

 

Suddenly Joshua's stomach seemed to flip-flop as a guilty feeling came over him. It was a feeling he had been struggling with all week. There was something he had to do, and it would take courage.

 

On Sunday morning, Joshua hurried to his classroom. Only his teacher was there. "Miss Green," he began, "I . . . I . . ." Joshua swallowed hard. "I didn't know the right answer on that blank you changed for me. I saw it on Jill's paper."

 

Miss Green looked serious, but she gave him a pat on the back. "It was hard to tell me that, wasn't it?" she asked. "I'm so glad you had the courage to admit what you did. Would you like to tell the class about it this morning?"

 

Joshua shook his head. "Not really," he said, "but I sure feel a lot better now, and I'll tell them if you say I should."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you keep quiet when there is something you should say? Do you do what is right even if you're scared? Ask God to give you courage to make the right choices. Ask Him for courage to admit when you're wrong.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Joshua 10:25)
Be strong and of good courage.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Flying High

Andy watched the red kite soaring in the bright sky. His big brother Michael grinned. "Don't you wish we could take off and fly like that?" Michael asked.

"Yeah!" Andy grinned back. "But if I were that kite, I wouldn't want the string to hold me down. I'd want to fly away, high above the clouds."

Michael laughed. "But if you broke loose, you'd crash to the ground instead of flying away," he said. "Without the string, that kite would just fall down."

Andy turned to his father. "Would it, Daddy?"

"Yep." Dad nodded. "Without the control of that string, the kite would soon fall," he said.

"Oh." Andy's small hands clutched the spool of string, trying to make sure his kite didn't get away.

"You know," mused Dad, "in a way, we're something like that kite."

Michael laughed. "Aw, Dad," he objected good naturedly, "I suppose you see some lesson in it, right?" It amused Michael that Dad often found lessons in many ordinary things that happened.

Dad smiled. "Well, think about the string-it guides the kite," he said. "That's a little like things God puts in our lives to guide us. Sometimes it's hard to live the way He wants us to, and we pull against the discipline He uses and try to break loose. We want to 'fly' our own way." He paused. "For example, I think my boss is one of the 'strings' God uses to guide me. My sprained ankle last month might be another. God taught me lessons through that. Can you think of 'strings' God uses in the lives of kids?"

Michael laughed. "That's easy," he said. "Some of them would be parents and teachers and rules in general. Sometimes we try to get away from them."

"What if God lets us go?" asked Andy, wide-eyed.

"He'll never do that, Andy. If you trust Jesus as your Savior, He'll never let you go," Dad assured him. "The Bible says nothing can ever separate God's children from His love. But it's important to submit ourselves to His control and not fight against it. As we yield to God and learn the lessons He teaches, He'll bless and use us." Dad nodded. "And as the old song says, trusting and obeying God is the only way to be truly happy."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you sometimes resent the "strings" you feel God has put on your life? Do you want to be free to go where you please, choose your own friends, pick your own TV programs? Would you like to be rid of an illness, a teacher you dislike, or discipline from a parent? God wants what's best for you. He'll use those "strings" to guide you, but if you're His child, He'll never let you go! Thank Him for that. Ask Him to help you be humble and obedient to Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this. Psalm 37:5

[Soldier4Christ]

 Secret Sin

"Quick! Someone's coming!" David's friend Brian whispered the warning, and David hit the stop button on the VCR remote control just in time.

"There's the dictionary!" exclaimed Mom, as she came into the den. She walked to the desk and picked it up. "I've been looking all over for this."

"Whew! That was close," exclaimed Brian after she left. "Turn it back on, Dave." David knew he shouldn't turn the VCR back on. The movie Brian had brought over had violent scenes and bad language. But at Brian's urging, he reluctantly started it again, and soon he forgot to wonder if he should be watching it.

After supper, David's sister, Anna, was contentedly sucking her thumb. "What's that in your mouth?" Dad asked. Anna quickly took her thumb out of her mouth. She knew her daddy meant that she shouldn't be sucking on it.

Later that evening, David noticed Anna lying on the couch with a pillow over her head. He sneaked over and pulled it off. Just as he thought, Anna was again sucking her thumb! "Keep that up and you'll wish you hadn't," he warned. "It can damage your teeth whether anyone sees you do it or not."

Dad looked over. "That's right," he agreed. "Hiding it won't make the damage any less."

Mom nodded. "Hiding any damaging activity from others never lessens the harm it does-to your body or to your mind and spirit," she said.

It seemed to David that Mom looked right at him while she spoke. He didn't think she knew about the movie he had watched earlier, but she was right-the damage was done anyway. He couldn't forget the violence he had seen nor the bad language he had heard. Besides, he was very aware that God knew all about it. As David prayed later that night, he confessed what he had done. He also asked God to give him courage to say no the next time he was tempted to do wrong things in secret.

The test came a few days later. "My dad has this great R-rated movie," Brian told him after school. "Come over, and we can watch it before my folks get home."

"I . . . ah . . ." stuttered David. He breathed a quick prayer and took a deep breath. "That kind of stuff is hard to forget, and it hurts our minds. Besides, even if our parents don't know, we know and God knows. So . . . no, thanks."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think you're not being hurt by something wrong you do in secret? Hiding a wrong activity from others won't keep it from hurting you. And, of course, there's no way to hide what you do from God-He knows and will hold you responsible. Confess the problem to Him. When you're tempted to repeat the wrong action, go to God for help and courage to say no.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Psalm 19:12

[Soldier4Christ]

 Disobedient Dog

"Freckles, come back here!" yelled Mike, as his new dog raced full speed down the driveway. The dog never paused, so Mike grabbed a leash and tore after her, grumbling to himself. On her leash, Freckles would do everything Mike asked . . . sit, stay, down, and come. But Mike was trying to get the dog to also obey when she off the leash. So far, it wasn't working.

The next day, Mike tried again to train his pet. "Good dog!" he exclaimed when Freckles did what he told her. "Now that you've learned to mind, you'll have more fun!" He threw the ball, and Freckles ran after it and brought it back. After playing a little while, Freckles suddenly lifted her head. She sniffed the air, and off she went. Mike chased after her, but she was soon out of sight. Mike sighed. I guess she'll come back when she wants to, he decided.

An hour later, Freckles still wasn't home. Mike rode his bike around the neighborhood, but he didn't see his dog anywhere. He was getting worried. When his dad came home from work, he and Mike went to check the dog pound, to see if Freckles had been picked up. Sure enough, there she was. She seemed as glad to see them as they were to see her! Mike paid the fine himself, and they headed home.

Mike sighed. "I guess I'll have to keep Freckles on a leash so she won't get lost or hit by a car," he said.

"Or dig in someone's garbage," added Dad.

"If only she'd obey me, she could have so much more fun and be safe at the same time," said Mike.

Dad nodded. "That sounds like what Pastor Grange said about us last Sunday," he replied. "He reminded us that God wants us to have a wonderful life, full of joy. But that doesn't happen when we do just any old thing. It happens when we obey God's laws. They're there to protect us, and they give us freedom to have fun without getting into bad situations. It's when we go our own way that we get into trouble."

Mike looked thoughtful. "Well, I'm going to put Freckles back on a leash to make sure she stays safe," he said, "but God doesn't do that with us, right? He doesn't put us on a 'leash' and make us obey Him."

"That's right," Dad replied. "We have to choose to obey Him, trusting that He knows what's best for us. God says He blesses those who 'walk in His ways.'"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you realize the value of obeying God's laws? Or do you think He has too many rules and keeps you from having fun in life? When you want to go to a bad movie or hang out with those cool kids who do bad things, think about God and how much He loves you. He's not trying to spoil your fun! He gives rules to protect you. Look to Him to keep you from making bad choices and hurting yourself. If you remember that He knows what's best, you'll find it easier to obey Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
By them Your servant is warned and in keeping them (God's laws) there is great reward. Psalm 19:11

[Soldier4Christ]

"That was a great circus show, wasn't it, Dad?" asked Brandon as he and his father made their way to the car. Brandon's eyes were wide with excitement. "Especially the high-wire act!" he added.

 

Dad grinned. "That was pretty exciting," he agreed. "It was pretty scary, though, when one man was riding on the other's shoulders."

 

"Yeah!" exclaimed Brandon. "I thought they'd be hurt when the man carrying him lost his balance, and they both fell. I'm glad there was a net to catch them."

 

"So am I," said Dad. "Without the net, that could have been a real tragedy." They drove a while in silence before Dad spoke again. "You know," he said softly, "that high wire act is a little bit like life in general."

 
Brandon was puzzled. "What do you mean?" he asked.

 

"Well," said Dad, "the man who was sitting on the other's shoulders was putting all his trust in his partner's ability to safely walk the rope, right?"

 

Brandon nodded. "Yeah, but the other guy couldn't do it," he said. "If that net hadn't caught their fall, they might have been killed!"

 

"Well, we're all something like the man who trusted his partner," said Dad. "We all put our trust in someone or something. Some of us put our trust in other people to help us through the dangers of life. Some of us put our trust in money or in our jobs. But when those things fail . . . well, tragedy often follows."

 

Brandon looked out the window as they drove along the streets. He thought about his Sunday school lesson the week before. "That's kinda like what my teacher told us," he said. "She said we should always trust Jesus to take care of us because He never fails."

 

"That's right." Dad nodded. "The Lord Jesus can be trusted to carry us through life's troubles. He'll never lose His balance."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Who are you trusting to take care of you? People and things can fail. Jesus is the only one who will never let you down. Put your trust in Him today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 20:7)
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

[Soldier4Christ]

As Emily and Nina started home, they met Justin -- a school bully. "Hey, Nina, where'd you get this red hat?" asked Justin as he grabbed the cap from her head and tossed it down on the sidewalk. Nina stared blankly at him, her mouth hanging slack.

 

"Stop that!" commanded Emily, darting toward the cap. She returned it to Nina. "You leave her alone," ordered Emily, glaring at Justin.

 

"Thank you," said Nina, smiling happily as she placed the cap back on her head. Justin walked away, grinning broadly.

 

When Emily reached her home, she hurried into the house. "What's up?" asked her mother when she saw Emily's unhappy face.

 

"I'm just thinking about Nina Jarret," said Emily glumly. She plopped down onto the couch. "She's just not smart, and some of the kids tease her." She sighed. "I just don't understand why God lets people like her be born. They're such a sad mistake."

 

"A mistake?" echoed Mother.

 

"Well . . . it doesn't seem like life can be much fun for her," said Emily. "She has to work so hard to learn to do even simple things."

 

"Yes, she does," agreed Mother, "and because of that, Nina's parents are extremely proud of all she can do. Nina is the joy of their lives."

 

"Yes, but . . ." Emily paused. "Think of" she added.

 

"I am," said Mother. "Nina's mom tells me how much Nina looks forward to going to school each day. She's so easily pleased and proudly shows her coloring papers to everyone. Nina is a happy girl who loves all the kids -- and I'm pleased to tell you that she often talks about her friend Emily." Mother smiled. "Always remember, honey, that God has made each one of us, and He has a purpose for all that He does. Even if we don't understand that purpose, we can be sure He knows what He's doing. This time, I'd say  you're the one who was mistaken."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does it seem like God occasionally makes a mistake in what He allows to happen? He is all-knowing and all-powerful. He will do what is best, and He never makes mistakes.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Exodus 4:11)
Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?

[Soldier4Christ]

"Janey!" called Mom. "Please turn off the television. Tami will be here any minute."

 

Janey did as she was told and went to the kitchen where her mother was working. "Can Tami and I watch that movie I was telling you about?" she asked. "It's on tonight."

 

"Didn't you say that Tami isn't allowed to watch TV?" asked Mom.

 

"Well, yes," admitted Janey, "but it's a really good kids' movie -- no violence or swearing or anything."

 

"But that isn't the point," said Mom.

 

"What is the point?" asked Janey.

 

Mom thought for a moment. "I think I can explain it with the help of one of Megan's books. Do you want to get it from her room?"

 

Janey paused. "I don't think Megan would like that," she said. "At breakfast this morning, I promised her that I wouldn't take anything from her room again without asking first. She'll be really mad if I do."

 

"Even if I say it's okay?" asked Mom. "You won't be going through her stuff; you'll just get that book."

 

Still Janey hesitated. "But I think Megan might get really angry and never trust me again," she said.

 

"So you don't feel comfortable doing it, right?" asked Mom, and Janey nodded. Mom smiled and said, "I think you made the right choice."

 

"You do?" asked Janey. "Don't you want the book?"

 

"No," said Mom, "and I'd have stopped you if you had gone to get it. It was unfair to ask you to go against Megan's rules and risk losing her trust. So do you think it would be fair to ask Tami to go against her parents' rules?"

 

"I guess not," admitted Janey. "It might make her uncomfortable, too."

 

"Not only that," said Mom, "but Tami could get into a lot of trouble and lose the trust of her parents. She has a responsibility to obey their rules, and we have the responsibility to help her do that."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do your friends have different rules than you do? Christians don't always agree about everything, so be sure to always respect the rules and feelings of your parents and other people.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 14:13)
Judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

[Soldier4Christ]

"We had my favorite Bible story today," said Robby as he helped his mother set the table for Sunday dinner. "It's the one about the boy with the loaves and fishes. I wish I could be like that boy and share my lunch with Jesus."

 

"I always wonder why a kid would be carrying five loaves of bread," said Robby's brother, Mitch.

 

"Well," said Mom as she placed a salad bowl on the table, "in Bible times, the loaves of bread were probably smaller and flatter than those we have today. The little boy might have been carrying loaves about the size of our hotdog buns -- maybe even smaller."

 

"Then what about the fish?" asked Mitch. "Wouldn't  fresh fish smell bad after being in the hot sun for hours?"

 

"Probably," agreed Mom, "but the Bible doesn't say they were fresh fish. My guess would be that they were smoked or dried."

 

"Well, Robby, if you want to be like that boy, I guess you'll have to start carrying five hot dog buns and two tins of sardines around with you," teased Mitch.

 

"Robby doesn't need bread and fish to be like that boy," said Mom. "He can share other things." She smiled at Robby. "Watch for opportunities to share," she advised. "I'm sure you'll find them."

 

At noon on Wednesday, Robby and his friends were on the way to the cafeteria when he noticed that a new boy in his class looked very unhappy. "What's the matter, Tyler?" Robby asked.

 

"I forgot my lunch," mumbled Tyler, "and I don't have money for the cafeteria. Mom's not home today, and I'm hungry."

 

"You can share my lunch," suggested Robby. "This is pizza day, so we can split it and all the other stuff, okay?" Tyler nodded happily.

 

That evening, Mom heard how Robby had shared his lunch. "Good for you," she said as she gave him a hug. "You remind me of another boy -- one who shared his lunch with Jesus!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you ever share your lunch, pencils, or paper with your classmates? Do you share at home with your brothers and sisters?  Sharing is one way to show that you love God and others.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (STRONG> 1 John 3:18  L)
Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

[Soldier4Christ]

Shannon knew she shouldn't have joined the other girls in scratching names on the bathroom doors, but the girls had dared her to do it. She didn't want to be different, and she didn't want to be laughed at. She felt bad about it now, though -- almost as though she had committed a serious crime. Shannon sighed.  Oh, well. Those doors needed to be painted anyway, she thought. But guilty thoughts kept going through her mind.

 

When Mr. Lewis called on her to give her science report, Shannon made her way to the front of the classroom. "My report today is on the processional caterpillar," she began. "These caterpillars are called 'processionaries' because they always follow a leader and do exactly what he does."

 

Shannon gulped. I was like that when I wrote on the doors, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she went on with her report. "Henri Fabre, a French naturalist, put a number of these caterpillars on the rim of a big stone jar in his garden. Each caterpillar apparently thought the one ahead of him was the leader and followed him faithfully. For several days, the caterpillars crawled around the rim of the jar, going in circles. They kept following the leader, who wasn't really a leader at all. Finally, one of the caterpillars decided to strike out on his own, and right away the rest followed him."

 

Shannon returned to her seat, but she didn't even hear the next report on katydids. Her mind was filled with thoughts about the caterpillars who blindly followed each other -- and about the one that finally struck out on his own and became a leader.

 

Oh, God, forgive me, Shannon prayed silently as she fought back tears. Please give me courage to confess what I did and to pay for it or do whatever I need to to make it right. Most of all, help me to be like the caterpillar that dared to strike out on his own. Help me to lead other girls to do the right thing instead of following someone doing bad things.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Instead of "following the leader" in doing things you know are wrong, do you follow God and do what is right? Don't do something that's wrong just because you don't want to be different from other kids. Dare to do the right thing. Be a leader for the Lord.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 1:10)
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

[Soldier4Christ]

"I hate it here! I wish we still lived in Hillsdale," said Austin, flinging his backpack to the kitchen floor. Since his family had moved from Hillsdale to Mapletown, Austin had been upset about leaving his old school.

 

Austin's mother handed him some milk and a peanut butter cookie, his favorite. "I know it's hard for you, Austin," she said. "Adjusting takes time, but soon you'll be used to your new teacher, and you'll make new friends. Remember, too, that one of your old friends is always with you -- Jesus is just as close to you here as He was in Hillsdale."

 

Austin sighed. "Well, I don't think this teacher is as nice as Mr. Jackson was, and the kids play different games," he complained.

 

"Don't get discouraged so quickly -- give your new school a chance!" said Mom. "You've been there only a couple of days." She opened the patio door. "How about coming out and helping me fill the planters with the flowers I bought today?" she invited.

 

"Okay," agreed Austin. When the planting was finished, Austin stood and admired the bright petunias and geraniums. But when he came home from school the next day, he found the plants drooping. "Mom, what's wrong with the flowers we planted?" he asked.

 

"Their roots had a bit of a shock when we repotted them," said Mom, "but they'll be all right. They'll adjust and grow better than ever." She smiled at Austin. "How was your day?" she asked.

 

Austin plopped into a chair on the patio and thought about his day. When he had handed in a neat math paper, his teacher had said, "Good job." At recess time, two boys had asked him to play with them. Maybe it won't be so bad here, after all</span>, he thought. He watched a red geranium nod in the light breeze. "Hey," he said, "I'm something like those flowers we planted! Moving here shocked my roots, but I'm adjusting. Maybe I'll really like it here after a while." He grinned at his mother as he recalled what she had said the day before. God is just as close to you here in Mapletown as He was in Hillsdale.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you had to move recently or had some other "shock to your roots"? It's normal to be sad for a while, but be patient and learn to trust God to help you adjust to your new situation. It will help you grow stronger in the Lord.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Genesis 28:15)
I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest.

[Soldier4Christ]

Curt had been wanting a pet monkey ever since Dad's job had sent them to South America for a year. "I found out how to catch one," he told his sister. "I made a hole in a large gourd and put a banana in it. When a monkey reaches in to get the banana, he'll be caught because the hole isn't big enough for him to get his paw out while he's holding the banana, and Rico says the monkey won't let go.  I'm going to set it up this afternoon before I go to the village with Dad. "

 

Cathy smiled, but her thoughts were not on monkeys. She was thinking about the recent visit they'd had from a Spanish lady and her little daughter. The girls had played together with a doll Rosita had brought along. When the visitors were leaving, Cathy noticed that Rosita didn't have her doll. But Cathy hadn't said anything about it. Instead, she had quietly scooped up the doll after they were gone, and she hid it beneath the clothes in her dresser drawer.

 

Much to her relief, nobody had mentioned the doll since then. Cathy took it out only when no one was around. She knew that if her mother saw the doll, she certainly would punish her and make her return it to Rosita. But, somehow, playing with the doll wasn't much fun. I'm really a thief, Cathy told herself.

 

Cathy was almost finished with her afternoon chores when she heard an awful commotion outside. When she ran to look, she saw a monkey with its paw in Curt's gourd. The monkey was jumping around, trying to get free -- and screeching all the while. Cathy felt sorry for the howling creature. "Let go of the banana and you'll be free," she called. But the monkey would not let go of his prize. Curt would no doubt catch him when he got home from the village. He'd have his pet.

 

Suddenly Cathy thought about Rosita's doll. If I let go of Rosita's doll, I can be free of my guilty feelings and be happy again, she thought.

 

Cathy hesitated only a moment; then she ran into the house to get the doll. Silently, she asked God to forgive her. I'll ask Rosita to forgive me, too, she told the Lord. As she pulled the doll out of its hiding place, she didn't even feel reluctant -- only relieved and happy.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you miserable because you're trying to hide somesin? There is a way out of your misery. Let go of that sin by confessing it and asking God, and perhaps others, to forgive you, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 28:13)
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.